VERNON

Is a city located in the North Okanagan Valley on the north end of Okanagan Lake and situated between 2 other lakes (Kalamalka and Swan) as well as the junction of Highways #6 and Highway #97.

Fur traders began using the west side of Okanagan Lake as a transport route from the lower Columbia River after 1811. Between 1862 and 1900, thousands of hectares of land were pre-empted and worked at cattle raising. In 1861, Luc Girouard, who was the first settler in what is now present-day Vernon, built a cabin beside a spot on BX Creek that the aboriginal called nintle-moos-chin meaning “jumping-over-place”. Vernon became a city on December 30, 1892 and is named in honor of George Vernon (1843-1911), former Chief Commissioner of Lands and Works for British Columbia.

Vernon relies on tourism, agriculture (especially with fruit-growing), forestry and manufacturing as important factors in its economy. Okanagan College, the Okanagan’s largest post-secondary education institution, offers over 50,000 students with programs, with well over 120 programs of degree and diploma programs. In recent years, Silver Star Mountain is gaining popularity with tourists, as well as dedicated skiing enthusiasts as an excellent seasonal downhill skiing destination.

The Vernon Vipers of the British Columbia Hockey League play their games in the city at the Wesbild Centre (formerly known as the Vernon Multiplex), a 5,000-seat multi-purpose recreational facility located in downtown. Founded in 1961 as the Vernon Jr. Canadians, the Vipers are one of the one of the most successful established hockey teams in Canada. They have won 9 Mowat Cups (BCHL Champions), 6 Doyle Cups (BCHL vs. the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions), and 4 Royal Bank Cup (national championships).

Vernon’s population: 31,817