KAMLOOPS

KAMLOOPS
Is a large city, located in the semi-arid interior of British Columbia about 431 kilometers northeast of Vancouver and on the north and south sides of the Thompson River. The city’s climate in known to be the hottest of all of British Columbia’s interior with a winter that is usually very mild and very short with the occasional cold snap and a temperature that seldom measures around -30 degree Celcius, as well as a average summer temperature of 28 degrees Celcius, and well over 2,000 hours of sunshine annually. Many native plants and animals that thrive in this type of climate live in Kamloops including cacti, rattlesnake, black widow spiders, ponderosa pine and the Lewis’ woodpecker. The city is also located at the confluence of the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway #1) and the Coquihalla/Yellowhead Highway (Highway #5). The History of Kamloops dates back to when first Europeans settled in the area around the early 1800s. In 1812, a trading post on the south side of the river junction built by David Stewart, a member of the Pacific Fur Company. Pacific Fur Company left Kamloops when the Northwest Company established Fort Thompson northeast of the river junction. 9 years later, Northwest Company merged with the Hudson’s Bay Company and took control of Fort Thompson and soon Kamloops was born with construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway during the 1860s Gold Rush which resulted in further growth and made Kamloops incorporated in 1893 with a population of 500. There are many industries in Kamloops include Cement plants, pulp and plywood mills, in addition to a small international airport. The Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), play their games at the Interior Savings Center, 6-400-seat, multi-purpose facility that is located in downtown on a street named after a famous Kamloops-born hockey player. Other key attractions in Kamloops include, Sun Peaks Ski Resort, shopping at Aberdeen Mall, and Kamloops Wildlife Park that is home to several animals including bald eagles, small mammals, elk, deer, bears, and moose. Thompson Rivers University (formally known University College of the Cariboo), offers students with flexible access to distance learning as well as several diploma programs.
KAMLOOPS’ POPULATION: 80,376