Squamish (British Columbia)
| Squamish | |||
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 View of Squamish from the south |
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| Location in British Columbia | |||
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| State : |
 Canada
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| Province : | British Columbia | ||
| Regional District : | Squamish Lillooet | ||
| Coordinates : | 49 ° 42 ′ N , 123 ° 9 ′ W | ||
| Height : | 5 m | ||
| Area : | 104.88 km² | ||
| Residents : | 17,158 (as of 2011) | ||
| Population density : | 163.6 inhabitants / km² | ||
| Time zone : | Pacific Time ( UTC − 8 ) | ||
| Postal code : | V8B | ||
| Foundation : | 1948 (incorporated) | ||
| Mayor : | Karen Elliott | ||
| Website : | www.district.squamish.bc.ca | ||
Squamish is a city in the province of British Columbia in western Canada . It is located at the northern end of Howe Sound on the Sea-to-Sky Highway (British Columbia Highway 99) in the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District .
Surname
Squamish is the name of a Native American tribe who lived in this part of southwestern British Columbia (including north and west Vancouver ) before the first Europeans arrived.
history
The community developed from a settlement opened around the year 1892 post office and grew after the construction of a railway line by the Pacific Great Eastern Railway .
The granting of local self-government (incorporated) for the municipality took place for the first time on May 18, 1948 as Village Municipality . Another award then took place on December 15, 1964 as District Municipality .
Demographics
The census in 2011 showed a population of 17,158 inhabitants for the municipality. The city's population has increased by 14.8% compared to the 2006 census, while the population in British Columbia only grew by 7.0%.
politics
The incumbent mayor of Squamish has been Karen Elliott since the 2018 election. Together with six other citizens, it forms the city council (council).
For provincial elections, Squamish is located in the West Vancouver-Garibaldi constituency. Member of Parliament is Joan McIntyre ( British Columbia Liberal Party ). Nationwide, Squamish is part of the West Vancouver — Sunshine Coast — Sea to Sky Country constituency , represented by Blair Wilson (independent).
economy
Forestry has traditionally been the main industry in the area. But the main employer closed the company on January 26, 2006. Less than an hour's drive away, Squamish has become very popular with Vancouver residents in recent years because of the much lower cost of living .
The median income of the Squamish workforce in 2006 was an above-average C $ 30,326, while at the same time the average for the entire province of British Columbia was C $ 24,867.
education
Squamish is part of School District # 48 - Sea to Sky . The city has six elementary schools : Brackendale, Garibaldi Highlands, Mamquam, Squamish Elementary, Stawamus Elementary, and Valleycliffe Elementary, and two secondary schools : Howe Sound Secondary School and Don Ross Secondary School.
The Capilano University , which also has a campus in Squamish, offers further training as diploma programs and university transfer courses. Quest University , also based in Squamish , opened in September 2007, is Canada's first private non-profit university.
traffic
The Sea to Sky Highway (British Columbia Highway 99) runs through the city in a north-south direction . This is the main route south to Vancouver and north to Whistler and Pemberton .
About 9 kilometers north of the small town is the local airport ( IATA airport code : YSE, ICAO code : CYSE, Transport Canada Identifier: -). The airfield only has a very short asphalt runway, 732 meters long.
Social and culture
In addition to several different Christian denominations, there are also Baha'i , Sikh and Mormon religious institutions . Squamish was also the home of the Squamish Cougars in the WHA Junior West Hockey League until 2008 .
Attractions
The Stawamus Chief , a huge granite massif , is very popular with mountaineers. There are over 300 climbing routes on the Chief; the majority of these require traditional climbing equipment. Steep hiking trails lead to the three peaks that make up the massif and offer beautiful views of Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains. In total, there are more than 1200 climbing routes between Shannon Falls, Murrin Park, The Malamute and Little Smoke Bluffs.
The Test Of Metal , a cross country mountain bike race over 67 km that is held annually at the end of June, is very well known among mountain bikers .
Other tourist attractions include Shannon Falls , rafting on the Elaho and Squamish Rivers, windsurfing and kite surfing at the mouth of the Squamish River, and bald eagle spotting in the nearby Brackendale community with one of the largest populations of bald eagles in North America as well as the West Coast Railway Heritage Park .
Others
The film Insomnia was shot in Squamish . The city formed the backdrop for the place Nightmute in Alaska .
Squamish was also the location for the fictional city of Elmo from the television series Men in Trees, starring Anne Heche .
In addition, the Free Willy scene was filmed in the city , in which Jason James Richter rides his bicycle down a hill towards the bay ( Howe Sound ).
Parts of the Supernatural episode "Wishful Thinking" were also filmed here.
Web links
- Squamish ( English, French ) In: The Canadian Encyclopedia .
- District of Squamish
- Climbing in Squamish (English)
- The Sea to Sky Corridor (English)
- Quest University (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ Origin Notes and History. Squamish. In: GeoBC . Retrieved October 15, 2012 .
- ↑ Squamish Community Profile. Census 2011. In: Statistics Canada . September 7, 2012, accessed October 15, 2012 .
- ^ City website: Council. Retrieved May 15, 2019 .
- ↑ Squamish Community Facts. (PDF; 48.13 kB) In: BCStats . Retrieved October 15, 2012 .
- ^ School of District # 48. School District # 48, accessed October 15, 2012 .
- ↑ Airport diagram. (PDF; 77.11 MB) In: Nav Canada . Retrieved May 15, 2019 .