| Town of Oliver | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  British Columbia |
| Region | Okanagan |
| Regional district | Okanagan-Similkameen |
| Incorporated | 1945 |
| Government | |
| - Governing body | Oliver Town Council |
| - Mayor | Ron Hovanes |
| Area | |
| - Total | 4.88 km² (1.9 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 310 m (1,017 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 4,370 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Highways | 97 |
| Waterways | Okanagan River |
| Website: Town of Oliver | |
Oliver, British Columbia, is a small town located in the South Okanagan. Billing itself as the "Wine Capital of Canada," Oliver is renowned for its high quality wine. The climate and topography offer the optimum conditions necessary to grow the preferred Vinerfera wine grapes and the town has the largest concentration of both vineyards and commercial wineries in British Columbia. Approximately 30 wineries are located within 15 minutes of Oliver. Many of these are located along what is known as the Golden Mile of Highway 97, just south of Oliver. The rolling terraces, exceptionally mild climate with lots of sun, gravelly soil and availability of irrigation produce the right elements for growing high-quality grapes.
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History
Oliver was named after John Oliver, the premier of British Columbia (1918-1927). It is located in the Osoyoos-Arid Biotic Zone, the northern tip of the Sonoran Desert and Canada's only true desert. Up to 500 people resided at nearby Fairview Gold Mine for a brief period around the end of the 19th Century. Large scale settlement in the Oliver-Osoyoos area was enhanced after construction of an irrigation canal in 1921 (by John Oliver's administration). Newly-irrigated land was made available at very modest prices to WW I veterans in 1921, and to returning WW II veterans in the 1940's. Prior to the development of the wine industry, almost all of the agricultural land in the Oliver area was planted in tree fruits such as cherries, apples and peaches. Many of the local orchards are now owned by more recent arrivals from Portugal in the 1950s and India in the 1980s.
Sports and recreation
The town is also home to two world class golf courses. Fairview Mountain has established a reputation for spectacular golf and was rated as the BCPGA facility of the year. Score Magazine rated Fairview Mountain #18 on its list of the top 100 golf courses in Canada. Inkameep Canyon Desert Golf Course is another well ranked course and offers 18 holes and breathtaking views of the valley. The World Hockey Association's Oliver Jets will play Junior A hockey in Oliver in the 2007-2008 season.
Notable People from Oliver
George Bowering, First Canadian Poet Laureate
External links
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Subdivisions of British Columbia |
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| Subdivisions | Regional districts · School districts · Regions |
| Communities | Municipalities · Regional district electoral areas · First Nations · Ghost towns |
| Urban centres | Vancouver · Victoria · Kelowna · Abbotsford · Kamloops · Nanaimo · Prince George |
| Towns | Comox · Creston · Cumberland · Fort Nelson · Gibsons · Golden · Ladysmith · Lake Cowichan · Oliver · Osoyoos · Port McNeill · Princeton · Qualicum Beach · Sidney · Smithers · View Royal |
