Kimberley, British Columbia

Kimberley is a city in southeast British Columbia, Canada along Highway 95A between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains. Kimberley was named in 1896 after the Kimberley mine in South Africa. From 1917 to 2001, it was the home to the world's largest lead-zinc mine, the Sullivan Mine. Now it is mainly a tourist destination and home to the Kimberley Alpine Resort, a ski area and Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway that features a 750-foot-long (230 m) underground mining interpretive centre complete with operational 3 ft (914 mm) narrow-gauge railway equipment. Recreational pursuits include world-class skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, fishing, whitewater rafting, kayaking, biking, hiking and golfing on championship golf courses. The city has the largest urban park in Canada. At 1,977 acres (800 ha), the Kimberley Nature Park is the largest incorporated park in Canada.

Kimberley
City
City of Kimberley
A view of the City of Kimberley
A view of the City of Kimberley
Flag of Kimberley
Flag
Official logo of Kimberley
Motto(s): 
"Recordamur Omnium" (Latin)
"We Are Mindful Of All"
Kimberley is located in British Columbia
Kimberley
Kimberley
Location of Kimberley in British Columbia
Coordinates: 49°40′11″N 115°58′39″W
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Regional DistrictEast Kootenay
Incorporation (city)March 29, 1944[1]
AmalgamationNovember 1, 1968[2]
Government
 • MayorDon McCormack
Elevation
1,120 m (3,670 ft)
Population
 (2021)[3]
 • Total8,115
 • Density122.5/km2 (317/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC-7 (MST)
Forward sortation area
V1A
Area code(s)250, 778, 236, 672
Highways Hwy 95A
Websitewww.kimberley.ca

SunMine, was the largest solar PV plant in Western Canada when built in 2015 on the site of the former Sullivan Mine concentrator.[4]

History

Kimberley incorporated as a city on March 29, 1944.[1] It amalgamated with the former Village of Marysville on November 1, 1968.[2] Following the routing of Highway 95 away from the city, in 1972 Kimberley transformed into the Bavarian City of the Rockies to entice motorists passing through the region to visit. Kimberley's Mine was the Sullivan Mine, and it was the largest lead-zinc mine in the world. The mine ceased operation in 2001.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kimberley had a population of 8,115 living in 3,595 of its 4,263 total private dwellings, a change of 9.3% from its 2016 population of 7,425. With a land area of 60.51 km2 (23.36 sq mi), it had a population density of 134.1/km2 (347.3/sq mi) in 2021.[13]

Although its historical population was closely tied to activities at the Sullivan Mine, the city's high-speed internet and scenic location enabled growth in tech and tourism beginning in the 2000s.[14]

Ethnicity
Panethnic groups in the City of Kimberley (1996−2021)
Panethnic
group		 2021[15] 2016[16] 2011[17] 2006[18] 2001[19] 1996[20]
Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. % Pop. %
European[lower-alpha 1] 7,230 91% 6,665 92.12% 5,930 91.58% 5,725 94.78% 6,115 95.7% 6,345 95.2%
Indigenous 475 5.98% 375 5.18% 395 6.1% 225 3.73% 165 2.58% 155 2.33%
East Asian[lower-alpha 2] 90 1.13% 95 1.31% 50 0.77% 60 0.99% 30 0.47% 80 1.2%
South Asian 45 0.57% 20 0.28% 30 0.46% 10 0.17% 25 0.39% 30 0.45%
Southeast Asian[lower-alpha 3] 45 0.57% 70 0.97% 0 0% 10 0.17% 15 0.23% 15 0.23%
Latin American 40 0.5% 10 0.14% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 10 0.15%
African 10 0.13% 10 0.14% 0 0% 10 0.17% 40 0.63% 25 0.38%
Middle Eastern[lower-alpha 4] 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0 0%
Other/Multiracial[lower-alpha 5] 0 0% 0 0% 0 0% 10 0.17% 0 0% 0 0%
Total responses 7,945 97.91% 7,235 97.44% 6,475 97.34% 6,040 98.39% 6,390 98.55% 6,665 98.92%
Total population 8,115 100% 7,425 100% 6,652 100% 6,139 100% 6,484 100% 6,738 100%
Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Kimberley included:[15]

Tourism and transportation
Kimberley Bavarian cuckoo clock.

The city has the "largest freestanding cuckoo clock in Canada". It began to develop a Bavarian-themed village in the 1970s after taking inspiration from Leavenworth, Washington.[21] Kimberley no longer has a bavarian theme.

Kimberley is served by the Canadian Rockies International Airport.

Kimberley Platzl

Schools

Schools in Kimberley are part of School District 6 Rocky Mountain which also serves Invermere and Golden.

Other schools accredited by the government:

  • Kimberley Independent School (pre-K to grade 9)

Climate

Kimberley has a continental climate with semi-arid influences and heavy moderation from the nearby mountains which tend to block arctic air masses, and produce a rain shadow. Its fairly high elevation counters this effect slightly, as temperatures are somewhat cooler and the town slightly more rainy than it would otherwise be.

Climate data for Kimberley
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 12.5
(54.5)		 14.0
(57.2)		 22.0
(71.6)		 26.0
(78.8)		 31.5
(88.7)		 34.0
(93.2)		 37.0
(98.6)		 36.0
(96.8)		 34.0
(93.2)		 26.5
(79.7)		 17.0
(62.6)		 8.5
(47.3)		 37.0
(98.6)
Average high °C (°F) −1.7
(28.9)		 2.1
(35.8)		 7.6
(45.7)		 13.5
(56.3)		 18.2
(64.8)		 21.7
(71.1)		 26.5
(79.7)		 26.3
(79.3)		 21.0
(69.8)		 12.3
(54.1)		 3.1
(37.6)		 −2.5
(27.5)		 12.3
(54.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) −6.8
(19.8)		 −4.1
(24.6)		 1.2
(34.2)		 6.5
(43.7)		 11.0
(51.8)		 14.5
(58.1)		 18.1
(64.6)		 17.6
(63.7)		 12.6
(54.7)		 5.6
(42.1)		 −1.4
(29.5)		 −6.8
(19.8)		 5.7
(42.3)
Average low °C (°F) −11.9
(10.6)		 −10.3
(13.5)		 −5.3
(22.5)		 −0.6
(30.9)		 3.8
(38.8)		 7.2
(45.0)		 9.7
(49.5)		 8.9
(48.0)		 4.2
(39.6)		 −1.1
(30.0)		 −6.0
(21.2)		 −11.2
(11.8)		 −1.0
(30.2)
Record low °C (°F) −36.5
(−33.7)		 −35.5
(−31.9)		 −26.0
(−14.8)		 −11.0
(12.2)		 −4.5
(23.9)		 −1.5
(29.3)		 0.5
(32.9)		 −2.0
(28.4)		 −2.5
(27.5)		 −7.0
(19.4)		 −19.0
(−2.2)		 −31.0
(−23.8)		 −35.0
(−31.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 39.2
(1.54)		 28.9
(1.14)		 26.6
(1.05)		 28.2
(1.11)		 42.7
(1.68)		 55.8
(2.20)		 36.2
(1.43)		 27.0
(1.06)		 30.9
(1.22)		 25.8
(1.02)		 45.6
(1.80)		 44.7
(1.76)		 431.6
(16.99)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 5.1
(0.20)		 5.0
(0.20)		 13.6
(0.54)		 24.0
(0.94)		 41.5
(1.63)		 55.8
(2.20)		 36.2
(1.43)		 27.0
(1.06)		 30.5
(1.20)		 22.0
(0.87)		 18.6
(0.73)		 4.1
(0.16)		 283.4
(11.16)
Average snowfall cm (inches) 39.2
(15.4)		 23.9
(9.4)		 13.2
(5.2)		 4.2
(1.7)		 1.2
(0.5)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.0
(0.0)		 0.4
(0.2)		 2.8
(1.1)		 27.0
(10.6)		 40.6
(16.0)		 148.4
(58.4)
Source: Environment Canada[22]

Sports

The Kimberley Dynamiters Junior B Ice Hockey team play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The Dynamiters have produced many professional hockey players, including Jason Wiemer, who last played with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL).

There are three major golf courses to play in Kimberley; Purcell Golf, Bootleg Gap and Trickle Creek Golf Resort. Just 15 – 20 minutes away are St. Eugene Golf Resort, Wildstone Golf and Shadow Mountain Golf Course. There are many other golf courses in the East Kootenay region.

Kimberley is home to the Worlds Longest Running Skateboard Race called the Sullivan Challenge.

Mountain biking is a summer sport of Kimberley, with over 100km of trails for every skill level.

Kimberley Alpine Resort owned by the Resort of the Canadian Rockies, regularly hosts ski races on the Para Alpine Skiing. It offers a wide range of runs, for all levels. Kimberley Alpine Resort is also home to the Winter Sports School which hosts lessons for all ages and abilities.

There is an annual ultra marathon at Kimberley Alpine Resort, the Black Spur Ultra. Runners choose between 54 km and 108 km distances.[23]

Club League Sport Venue Established Championships
Kimberley Dynamiters KIJHL Ice Hockey Kimberley Civic Centre 1972 3

Notable people

Notes
  1. Statistic includes all persons that did not make up part of a visible minority or an indigenous identity.
  2. Statistic includes total responses of "Chinese", "Korean", and "Japanese" under visible minority section on census.
  3. Statistic includes total responses of "Filipino" and "Southeast Asian" under visible minority section on census.
  4. Statistic includes total responses of "West Asian" and "Arab" under visible minority section on census.
  5. Statistic includes total responses of "Visible minority, n.i.e." and "Multiple visible minorities" under visible minority section on census.

References
  1. "British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address" (XLS). British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  2. "Name Details: Marysville (Community)". GeoBC. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
  3. "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". Statistics Canada. 9 February 2023.
  4. "Kimberley's solar plant, largest in Western Canada, begins operations | Globalnews.ca".
  5. "Table 6: Population by sex, for census subdivisions, 1956 and 1951". Census of Canada, 1956. Vol. I: Population. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1958.
  6. "Table 9: Population by census subdivisions, 1966 by sex, and 1961". 1966 Census of Canada. Western Provinces. Vol. Population: Divisions and Subdivisions. Ottawa: Dominion Bureau of Statistics. 1967.
  7. "Table 3: Population for census divisions and subdivisions, 1971 and 1976". 1976 Census of Canada. Census Divisions and Subdivisions, Western Provinces and the Territories. Vol. Population: Geographic Distributions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1977.
  8. "Table 2: Census Subdivisions in Alphabetical Order, Showing Population Rank, Canada, 1981". 1981 Census of Canada. Vol. Census subdivisions in decreasing population order. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1982. ISBN 0-660-51563-6.
  9. "Table 2: Population and Dwelling Counts, for Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions, 1986 and 1991 – 100% Data". 91 Census. Vol. Population and Dwelling Counts – Census Divisions and Census Subdivisions. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 1992. pp. 100–108. ISBN 0-660-57115-3.
  10. "Population and Dwelling Counts, for Canada, Provinces and Territories, and Census Divisions, 2001 and 1996 Censuses – 100% Data (British Columbia)". Statistics Canada. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  11. "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses – 100% data (British Columbia)". Statistics Canada. January 6, 2010. Retrieved 2019-05-28.
  12. "Census Profile, 2016 Census". Statistics Canada. February 8, 2017. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
  13. "Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia". Statistics Canada. February 9, 2022. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  14. "Town of Kimberley redefines post-industrial landscape through innovation". Imagine Kootenay. January 29, 2019. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  15. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2022-10-26). "Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  16. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2021-10-27). "Census Profile, 2016 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  17. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2015-11-27). "NHS Profile". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  18. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-08-20). "2006 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  19. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-07-02). "2001 Community Profiles". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  20. Government of Canada, Statistics Canada (2019-06-04). "Electronic Area Profiles Profile of Census Divisions and Subdivisions, 1996 Census". www12.statcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2023-03-10.
  21. Green, Emily (March 11, 2003). "One Couple's Defining Moments: To the Pacific Northwest, They Gave 'Bavarianization'". Los Angeles Times. p. A1. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  22. "Kimberley". Canadian Climate Normals 1981–2010 (in English and French). Environment Canada. 31 October 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
  23. "The Black Spur Ultra". Kimberley Daily Bulletin. 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
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