| Town of Smithers | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
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| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  British Columbia |
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| Regional District | Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako | ||
| Incorporated | 1921 | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | James A. Davidson | ||
| - Governing Body | Town of Smithers Council | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 15.54 km² (6 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 490 m (1,608 ft) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 5,217 | ||
| - Density | 348.4/km² (902.4/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) | ||
| Postal code span | V0J | ||
| Area code(s) | +1-250 | ||
| Demonym | Smithereen | ||
| Website: Smithers.bc.ca | |||
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.
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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. Upstream, the Bulkley, a smaller stream running through Houston, and the Morice join just west of Houston. At the point of their joining they become the Bulkley, not the Morice despite the fact the Morice is larger. This was done by Poudrier, a government cartographer whom, it is rumoured, never saw the region. Smithers was founded in 1913 as the regional headquarters 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 1990s survey, per capita, Smithers has 'the most of' in almost every category and the relative size of the township has led to some distinct lines being drawn in the social fabric of that society. Many factors contribute to the composition of society in Smithers, including 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 Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Canadian Tire). A carved wood statue of a man blowing an alpine horn, commonly referred to as The Alpenhorn 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. 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 Community Arts Council operate to keep music and other artistic activities vibrant.
Demographics
| Canada 2001 Census[1] | ||
| Smithers | British Columbia | |
| Median age | 33.3 years | 38.4 years |
| Under 15 years old | 24% | 18% |
| Between 25 and 44 years old | 31% | 30% |
| Over 65 years old | 10% | 14% |
| Visible minority | 4% | 21% |
| Protestant | 35% | 31% |
The latest census, taken in 2001, recorded 5,415 residents living in 2,195 households and 1,460 families. Of those over 15 years of age in 2001, 48% were married, slightly lower than the 51% provincial average. With 87% of Smithers residents being Canadian-born, and 88% with an English-only mother tongue, the town has few visible minorities. Though not included as visible minorities, 10% identified themselves as Aboriginal, a higher proportion than the 4% provincial average.
Notable Smithereens
Hockey players
Despite its small population, Smithers has produced several notable professional ice hockey players:
- Brothers Joe Watson and Jimmy Watson: won the Stanley Cup as defencemen with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1973-74 and 1974-75 seasons. Jimmy Watson was a five-time NHL All-Star game selection and played for Team Canada at the Canada Cup in 1976. Joe Watson was a two-time NHL All-Star and is a member of the Flyers hall of fame.
- Brothers Ron Flockhart (NHL career 1980-1991) and Rob Flockhart
- Alan Kerr: played for the New York Islanders, Detroit Red Wings and Winnipeg Jets in the 1980's and 90's
- Dan Hamhuis: currently defenceman playing for the Nashville Predators
- Michael Wall: goalie for the Colorado Avalanche (Traded 2007)
- Ron Homenuke: forward for the Vancouver Canucks. Career ended abruptly after a hiking accident. Later became a missionary.
Others
- Gina Holden, actress.
- Joseph L. Coyle, newspaper publisher (The Interior News) and inventor of the egg carton (1911)
- Robin Mathews, b. 1931 in Smithers; a poet, political activist, playwright, teacher, essayist.
- Tobin Frank, a musician with the Canadian band, Spirit of the West comes from Smithers.
- Micah Sicotte, a composer, musician, educator and VP of the Federal Commonwealth Society originates from Smithers.
- Adrian Miles, singer for Solstice (UK band)
- Susan Juby, author of the Alice, I Think series of books, grew up in Smithers.
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 on Smithers. (However, not actually filmed in Smithers aside from location shots.)
References
- ^ Statistics Canada, Community Highlights for Smithers, 2001 Community Profiles, October 23 2007.
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
- Experience friendly accommodation
- Smithers Regional Airport Information
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| Subdivisions | Regional districts · School districts · Regions |
| Communities | Municipalities · Regional district electoral areas · First Nations · Ghost towns |
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| Towns | Comox · Creston · Cumberland · Fort Nelson · Gibsons · Golden · Ladysmith · Lake Cowichan · Oliver · Osoyoos · Port McNeill · Princeton · Qualicum Beach · Sidney · Smithers · View Royal |
