Smithers, British Columbia: Difference between revisions

Smithers

British Columbia File:Smithers logo.jpg (Flag of British Columbia) (Town Logo)
Motto	"A Town for All Seasons"
Region	Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako
Location	54°46′54.6″N 127°10′04.8″W
Elevation	495 m
Highway	Highway 16
Waterway	Bulkley River
Founded	1913
Incorporated	1921 (Village), 1967 (Town)
Time zone	PST
Postal Code	V0J 2N0
Area Code	250
International Code	1
Population	5,509 (2005)
Population Density	348.4 pop/km²
Area	15.54 km²
Mayor	James A. Davidson
MLA	Dennis MacKay
MP	Nathan Cullen

Smithers is a town located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada, approximately halfway between Prince George and Prince Rupert. Smithers is located in the Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako. With a population of 5,509, Smithers is a service area for most of the Bulkley Valley.

History

The Bulkley Valley in which Smithers is situated was originally inhabited by the Wet'suwet'en, an indigenous Carrier people whose native tongue is of the Athabaskan language family. Smithers was founded in 1913 as the regional headquartes for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The new community was named after the railway's chairman of the board of directors, Sir Alfred Smithers. In 1921, Smithers became the first incorporated village in British Columbia. In 1967, Smithers was incorporated as a town.

Civic orientation

The Town was surveyed in 1913 and a street grid pattern was established that is still very much evident today. Historically, intensive development has been oriented towards Main Street as the prime commercial focus with residential development radiating outward from the commercial core. The traditional downtown was punctuated by important civic structures — the (old) Courthouse at the intersection of Main Street with Highway 16 or by community focal points — the Canadian National Railway station at the western end of Main Street. This pattern has been sustained by the preservation of the old courthouse, with establishment of a major civic park in Central Park, and with the on-going restoration of the CN railway station as a community resource centre.

Culture

Smithers and the Bulkley Valley area that surrounds it has often been described by non-residents as being distinct from the rest of Northern British Columbia. According to a 1990's survey, per capita, Smithers has 'the most of' in almost every category and the relative size of the township has lead to some distinct lines being drawn in the social fabric of that society. Religion, primarily Christianity, plays a leading role in Smithers society, as do local industries such as forestry and mining, the arts, and environmental protection which together form the cultural identity of the town.

The theme of the town of Smithers is alpine, which is drawn from the geography of the area. A town bylaw requires businesses in the area to construct their buildings in an alpine style, though there are some exceptions (including chains such as McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Canadian Tire). A carved wood statue of a man blowing an alpine horn, commonly referred to as The Alpine Man, is located at the entrance to the main street and has become the town symbol.

Residents of Smithers are called Smithereens which remains a more popularly accepted title than the sometimes used 'Smitherite'. Native Smithereens possess a developing regional accent, sometimes referred to as a "northern" accent with its slight tendency to inflect upwards on the ends of sentences as if asking a question.

Despite its small population, Smithers has produced several notable professional ice hockey players, including brothers Joe Watson and Jimmy Watson, who won the Stanley Cup as defensemen with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Brothers Ron Flockhart and Rob Flockhart also hail from the town. In the 1980's and 90's, Allan Kerr played for the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets. More recently, defenseman Dan Hamhuis has emerged as a promising player for the Nashville Predators as has Anaheim Ducks goalie, Michael Wall.

Music

Smithers and the Bulkley Valley is the home of many musicians, and Smithers possesses an active and vibrant music scene. The biggest assembly of musical talent happens during The annual Mid-Summer Music festival in late June. Over the years, Mid-Summer music festival has seen some famous acts like Spirit of the West and Barenaked Ladies has drawn audiences and participants from all across North America.

The Della Herman Theatre, named after a long time resident and former school board official, is the primary venue for shows and performances, though several pubs and even open fields serve as secondary performance venues. Numerous organisations including the Bulkley Valley Arts Council operate to keep music and other artistic activities vibrant.

Miscellaneous

• Smithers ski resort Ski & Ride Smithers boasts great powder, short line ups and phenomenal terrain.
• The airline Central Mountain Air is based in Smithers.
• The film Eight Below was filmed here.
• The Comedy Network television show, Alice, I Think, is based in Smithers.
• Dan Hamhuis, defenseman in the National Hockey League, was born and raised in Smithers.
• Tobin Frank, a musician with the Canadian band, Spirit of the West originates from Smithers.
• Micah Sicotte, a composer, musician, educator and VP of the Federal Commonwealth Society originates from Smithers.

External links

• Basic demographic information about Smithers from Stats Canada's page
• Town of Smithers
• Tourism Smithers: contains in-depth information about the town
• Thousands of photos taken in and around Smithers
• Ski & Ride Smithers
• Smithers Roots Live on in Nashville's Hamhuis at NHL.com