Kelowna

Climate diagram
	Temperature in ° C , precipitation in mm
	Source: Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000. In: Environment and Climate Change Canada . Retrieved August 18, 2012 .

Kelowna
	; View of Kelowna and Lake Okanagan
	; flag
Location in British Columbia
	Kelowna
	Kelowna
State :	Canada
Province :	British Columbia
Regional District :	Central Okanagan
Coordinates :	49 ° 53 ′ N , 119 ° 27 ′ W Coordinates: 49 ° 53 ′ N , 119 ° 27 ′ W
Height :	344 m
Area :	211.69 km²
Inhabitants : ; - Metropolitan Area :	117,312 (as of 2011); 179,839 (as of 2011)
Population density :	554.2 inhabitants / km²
Time zone :	Pacific Time ( UTC − 8 )
Postal code :	V1P - V1Z
Mayor :	Walter Gray
Website :	www.kelowna.ca
	; sunset

Kelowna [ kəˈloʊnə ] is the largest city on Lake Okanagan in British Columbia , Canada , with a population of almost 120,000 . It was first settled by missionaries in 1859 and officially received city rights in 1905. The city is the eighth largest in British Columbia and 43rd in all of Canada. In 2003, extensive forest fires destroyed more than 200 houses and around 30,000 people were evacuated at times. However, large parts of the destroyed area have already been rebuilt. Much of the historic Kettle Valley Railway was destroyed during the 2003 fire. Parts of the route are already intact or under construction.

Geography and climate

Kelowna is about 400 km east of Vancouver and about 130 km north of the border with the United States. The city is located on the eastern shore of Lake Okanagans , east of the city is the Okanagan Highlands.

Kelowna has a very mild, semi-arid climate. The average temperatures over the year range between −7 ° C and 28 ° C. In winter there is little snow (average snow depth in January is 13 cm), the most frequent snowfalls are mainly to be expected in December and January. The official Kelowna weather station is located at the local Kelowna Airport . Summers are characterized by hot and dry phases, often with daytime temperatures above 30 ° C. The highest temperature ever recorded was 39.5 ° C on July 24, 1994, the lowest -36.1 ° C on December 30, 1968. During the summer it is often sunny and there is only sporadic precipitation. However, nighttime temperatures can drop very sharply. Most rainfall occurs in June; however, there is usually drought throughout the summer, which can sometimes lead to forest fires.

Demographics

The 2011 census showed the city had a population of 117,312. The population increased by 9.6% compared to the 2006 census, while the population in British Columbia only grew by 7%. The cost of houses and apartments has increased by around 50% since 1995 due to strong growth.

Economy and Infrastructure

economy

Kelowna's economy is heavily influenced by the service industry. In the greater Kelowna area, over 75% are employed in this sector. In addition, Kelowna is a popular tourist destination. In summer there are offers for sports enthusiasts in the areas of sailing, golf, hiking and mountain biking, in winter Kelowna is popular because of the winter sports areas southwest of the city.

Wine-growing region near Kelowna

One of the largest wine-growing regions in Canada is located on Lake Okanagan, benefiting from the mild climate. Therefore, there are also numerous wineries in Kelowna. The wine-growing areas are outside south and west of the city.

Compared to the rest of Canada, Kelowna has seen above-average growth. Between 1996 and 2006 the population grew by 19.3%, while the whole of British Columbia only grew by 9.5%. The city has been trying for some time to gain a foothold in the high-tech sector . However, most of the resident companies are very small (up to 10 employees). For this reason, Kelowna joined forces with other cities on the Okanagan to create the "Accelerate Okanagan".

education

schools

In Kelowna and Okanagan there are 32 public schools from kindergarten / elementary school to grade 12 ( high school ). The schools are subordinate to School District 23 Central Okanagan. There are also other French-speaking and private schools in the city.

Colleges

Okanagan College and the University of British Columbia Okanagan are the largest higher education institutions in the city. Okanagan College has approximately 5000 students enrolled in multiple fields. The college allows access to a university. The University of British Columbia Okanagan has around 6,000 students enrolled in various bachelor and master degrees.

Sports

The Kelowna Rockets ice hockey team , which plays in its own large stadium in the city, is of great sporting importance for Kelowna . Other sports teams include the Okanagan Challenge in soccer , the Kelowna Falcons in baseball , and the Okanagan Sun in Canadian football , the Canadian version of American football .

traffic

Road traffic

The new William R. Bennett Bridge

For several years only one major highway, Highway 97 , ran through the city. This connects the city with the nationally important highways such as the important east-west connections Trans Canada Highway and Crowsnest Highway . The Coquihalla Highway, the shortest connection to Vancouver , is reached via Highway 97C, which branches off from Highway 97 in Peachland. The Highway 33 branches in the city center of Highway 97 to the east, and so opens up the big ski resorts east of Kelowna.

Since the official opening on May 25, 2008, Kelowna has been linked to Kelowna West by a new five-lane bridge, the William R. Bennett Bridge . The old floating bridge from 1958, which was one of the largest in the world, but could no longer handle the increasing traffic, was demolished a short time later. Some parts of the bridge were preserved as memorials near the shore.

Transportation

The city's public transport is operated by a Scottish transport company, the FirstGroup . The company operates several bus services within Kelowna and the neighboring cities. Local transport is financed by the City of Kelowna, the Regional District of Central Okanagan , the District of Lake Country and BC Transit.

Flight connections

Kelowna Airport is of supraregional importance . The Kelowna International Airport is located north of downtown and is the tenth largest airport in Canada, as measured by the number of passengers. There are scheduled connections to several destinations in Canada such as to and from Calgary , Edmonton , Toronto , Vancouver , Victoria and Seattle . There are also seasonal connections to Las Vegas , Phoenix and Mexico .