Kelowna

Kelowna
City
City of Kelowna
Downtown Kelowna and Cultural District from West Kelowna
File:Flag of Kelowna, British Columbia.svg Flag File:Coat of Arms of Kelowna, British Columbia.svg Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Orchard City, K-Town
Motto: "Fruitful in Unity"
Kelowna Location of Kelowna in British Columbia
Coordinates:
Country	Canada
Province	British Columbia
Region	Okanagan
Regional District	Central Okanagan
Settled	1879
Incorporated	5 May 1905
Government
• Type	Elected city council
• Body	Kelowna City Council
• Mayor	Colin Basran
• MP	Stephen Fuhr (Liberals)
• MLAs	Steve Thomson (BC Liberals) Norm Letnick (BC Liberals) Christy Clark (BC Liberals)
Area
• City	211.82 km2 (81.78 sq mi)
• Metro	2,904.86 km2 (1,121.57 sq mi)
Elevation	344 m (1,129 ft)
Population (2011)
• City	117,312
• Density	553.8/km2 (1,434/sq mi)
• Urban	141,767
• Metro	179,839
• Metro density	62/km2 (160/sq mi)
Time zone	Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8)
• Summer (DST)	Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
Postal code span	V1P, V1V – V1Z
Area code(s)	(250), (778)
Website	Official website

Kelowna (ⁱ/kɛloʊnə/) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. Its name derives from an Okanagan language term for "grizzly bear". Kelowna is the third largest metropolitan area in the province and ranks as the 22nd largest in Canada, with a population of 179,839 in 2011 making it the largest inland city in BC.

Nearby communities include the district municipality of West Kelowna (also referred to as Westbank, Westside) to the west across Okanagan Lake, Lake Country and Vernon to the north, as well as Peachland to the southwest and, further to the south, Summerland and Penticton.

History

• 

  Kelowna, 1909

• 

  Kelowna, 1920

Father Charles M. Pandosy, a French Roman Catholic Oblate missionary, arriving in 1859 was the first European to settle at Kelowna, a place named "L'anse au sable" (Bay of Sand) in reference to the sandy shoreline. Kelowna was officially incorporated in 4 May 1905.

In May 2005, Kelowna celebrated its Centennial. In the same year, new five lane William R. Bennett Bridge began construction to replace the three lane Okanagan Lake Bridge. It was part of a plan to alleviate traffic problems experienced during the summer tourist season, when the influx of tourists adds to the commuters between West Kelowna and Kelowna. The new bridge was completed in 2008.

Events of significance

• On 6 August 1969 a sonic boom from a nearby air show produced an expensive broken glass bill of a quarter million dollars while at least 6 people were injured. The incident was caused by a member of America's Blue Angels during a practice routine for the Kelowna Regatta festival: He accidentally went through the sound barrier while flying too low.
• Winter 1986 was the last time that the Lake completely froze over. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police helicopter successfully rescued an SUV that had tried to drive across the Lake and fell through the ice.
• 2000s, Kelowna builds the tallest building in between the Lower Mainland and Calgary: Skye at Waterscapes, which is a 26-floor residential tower.

Area seasonal wildfires

• On 7 May 1992, a forest fire consumed 60 hectares of forest on Mount Boucherie in West Kelowna across Lake Okanagan from Kelowna proper: no homes were damaged, however.
• In August 2003, a nearby wildfire destroyed over 200 homes and forced the temporary evacuation of approx. 30,000 residents. During the 2003 fire, many trestles of the historic Kettle Valley Railway were destroyed. All the trestles have been rebuilt to look like the originals but using smaller dimension beams.
• In late August 2005, a 30 hectare fire caused multiple evacuations in the Rose Valley subdivision across the lake in West Kelowna.
• In July 2009 wildfires destroyed hundreds of hectares of forest and a number of buildings in West Kelowna; 17,000 residents were evacuated.
• In July 2009, a 100 hectare fire near Rose Valley resulted in the evacuation of 7,000 people. No structures were lost.
• In July 2009, a 9,200 hectare fire behind Fintry resulted in the evacuation of 2,500 people. No structures were lost.
• On 12 July 2010, a 30 hectare fire in West Kelowna destroyed one home and caused multiple evacuations.
• September 2011, a 40 hectare fire in West Kelowna's Bear Creek Park caused the evacuation of over 500 people.
• In July 2012, a 30 hectare fire caused the evacuation of the small community of Wilson's Landing just North of West Kelowna.
• In September 2012, a late season, 200 hectare fire destroyed 7 buildings and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500 people in the community of Peachland.
• In July 2014, a 340 hectare fire behind the West Kelowna subdivision of Smith Creek caused the evacuation of 3,000 people.
• In August 2014, a 40 hectare fire above Peachland resulted in the evacuation of one home.
• In July 2015, a 55 hectare fire in the Joe Rich area caused the evacuation of over 100 properties.
• In July 2015, a 560 hectare fire near Shelter Cove caused the evacuation of 70 properties.
• In August 2015, a 130 hectare fire burned near Little White mountain just south of Kelowna.

Geography

Climate

The climate of Kelowna is humid continental (Köppen climate classification Dfb), with dry, hot and sunny summers, cold, cloudy winters and four seasons. The official climate station for Kelowna is at the Kelowna International Airport, which is at a higher altitude than the city core with slightly higher precipitation and cooler nighttime temperatures. The moderating effects of Okanagan Lake combined with mountains separating most of BC from the prairies moderates the winter climate, but Arctic air masses do occasionally penetrate the valley during winter, usually for very short periods. The coldest recorded temperature in the city was −36.1 °C (−33.0 °F) recorded on 30 December 1968.

Weather conditions during December and January are the cloudiest in Canada outside of Newfoundland thanks to persistent valley cloud. As Okanagan Lake hardly ever freezes, warmer air rising from the lake climbs above colder atmospheric air, creating a temperature inversion which can cause the valley to be socked in by cloud for weeks on end with no respite. This valley cloud has a low ceiling however, and often bright sunshine can be experienced by driving only 20 minutes or so up into the nearby mountains, above the cloud. Summers in Kelowna are hot (sometimes extremely hot) and sunny, with daytime temperatures often exceeding 32 °C (90 °F). The hottest recorded temperature at the airport was 39.5 °C (103.1 °F) on 24 July 1994, and the highest temperature ever recorded in the city was 41.0 °C (105.8 °F) in August 1998 near but not at the airport. It is not at all unusual for heat waves to occur in July, August and even June and September on occasion, where temperatures above 30 °C persist for weeks. During summer clear, dry air allows night-time temperatures to fall rapidly. The city averages about 380 millimetres (15 in) of precipitation per year, with about 1/5 of the precipitation falling as snow, the bulk in December and January; however, June is the wettest month of the year.

While some smaller communities such as Blue River and Golden get less wind, Kelowna has the greatest percentage of "calm" wind observations for any major city in Canada (39% of the time). The four-year average wind measured at the airport has been less than 5 knots on average 10/12 months of the year between 2008 and 2011. As shown in the climate chart below, Kelowna has an average high temperature that is above freezing every month of the year - an exceptionally rare phenomenon for a Canadian city that is located inland. In fact, average high temperatures in January surpass those of St. Johns Newfoundland, which experiences heavy moderation from the warm Atlantic current. Kelowna's average year-round high temperature of about 14.6 degrees is also one of the highest in Canada - largely thanks to the rare combination of high summer temperatures typical of continental climates, along with relatively mild winters - a very rare feature of a continental climate.

Weather facts:

• Driest Year (1952) = 186 mm (7 in)
• Wettest Year (1996) = 541 mm (21 in)
• Warmest Year (1998) = 11.4 °C (53 °F); 9.2 °C (49 °F) at the Airport
• Coldest Year (1955) = 5.6 °C (42 °F)
• Highest Extreme Temperature (August 1998) = 41.0 °C (106 °F)
• Lowest Extreme Temperature (December 1968) = −36.1 °C (−33 °F)

Climate data for Kelowna International Airport
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high humidex	13.0	14.5	21.1	28.0	37.0	42.3	46.4	45.6	34.9	26.7	20.6	13.9	46.4
Record high °C (°F)	14.8 (58.6)	14.7 (58.5)	20.8 (69.4)	28.1 (82.6)	34.4 (93.9)	38.0 (100.4)	39.5 (103.1)	39.3 (102.7)	34.8 (94.6)	26.8 (80.2)	20.6 (69.1)	14.5 (58.1)	39.5 (103.1)
Average high °C (°F)	0.8 (33.4)	3.6 (38.5)	10.1 (50.2)	15.5 (59.9)	20.2 (68.4)	24.2 (75.6)	27.9 (82.2)	27.6 (81.7)	21.7 (71.1)	13.4 (56.1)	5.6 (42.1)	0.7 (33.3)	14.3 (57.7)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−2.5 (27.5)	−0.9 (30.4)	4.1 (39.4)	8.4 (47.1)	12.8 (55)	16.6 (61.9)	19.5 (67.1)	19.1 (66.4)	13.9 (57)	7.3 (45.1)	1.6 (34.9)	−2.6 (27.3)	8.1 (46.6)
Average low °C (°F)	−5.8 (21.6)	−5.3 (22.5)	−2.0 (28.4)	1.3 (34.3)	5.4 (41.7)	9.1 (48.4)	11.1 (52)	10.6 (51.1)	5.9 (42.6)	1.3 (34.3)	−2.4 (27.7)	−5.9 (21.4)	1.9 (35.4)
Record low °C (°F)	−31.7 (−25.1)	−25.3 (−13.5)	−19.4 (−2.9)	−8.9 (16)	−4.2 (24.4)	−0.6 (30.9)	2.6 (36.7)	0.6 (33.1)	−6.1 (21)	−15.7 (3.7)	−28.4 (−19.1)	−36.1 (−33)	−36.1 (−33)
Record low wind chill	−39.7	−33.0	−20.4	−9.8	−5.4	−0.6	0.0	0.0	−7.3	−18.2	−36.3	−37.6	−39.7
Average precipitation mm (inches)	31.0 (1.22)	19.0 (0.748)	21.6 (0.85)	29.1 (1.146)	40.2 (1.583)	45.9 (1.807)	37.2 (1.465)	32.1 (1.264)	32.4 (1.276)	29.2 (1.15)	36.7 (1.445)	32.6 (1.283)	386.9 (15.232)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	8.9 (0.35)	10.0 (0.394)	16.9 (0.665)	28.3 (1.114)	39.2 (1.543)	45.9 (1.807)	37.2 (1.465)	32.1 (1.264)	31.7 (1.248)	29.1 (1.146)	24.4 (0.961)	7.6 (0.299)	311.3 (12.256)
Average snowfall cm (inches)	26.9 (10.59)	10.8 (4.25)	4.8 (1.89)	0.8 (0.31)	0.0 (0)	0.0 (0)	0.0 (0)	0.0 (0)	0.0 (0)	0.1 (0.04)	13.6 (5.35)	32.0 (12.6)	89.0 (35.04)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm)	13.9	10.3	10.5	10.9	12.9	12.0	9.2	8.5	8.7	11.3	14.4	14.1	136.6
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm)	5.6	6.2	8.8	10.7	12.2	12.0	9.2	8.5	8.3	11.3	11.0	4.2	107.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm)	10.0	5.6	2.4	0.6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	4.7	11.0	34.5
Average relative humidity (%)	76.4	65.2	48.8	39.8	40.0	39.3	35.6	36.2	42.2	55.6	70.6	75.7	52.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours	39.4	80.9	148.5	191.0	238.2	244.9	297.8	281.6	216.2	124.5	50.9	35.1	1,948.9
Percent possible sunshine	14.8	28.5	40.4	46.3	49.9	50.2	60.5	62.8	56.9	37.2	18.6	13.9	40.0
Source:

Sectors and neighbourhoods

Kelowna consists of ten sectors with multiple neighbourhoods within the sector boundaries. Despite its moderate population, Kelowna is known for its urban sprawl. This is largely due to a combination of decades of building height and zoning restrictions during a period of population growth.

• Belgo
• Benvoulin
• Black Mountain
• Central City
• Clifton
• Crawford
• Dilworth

• Downtown
• East Kelowna
• Glenmore
• Highway 97 (Airport/University)
• Kettle Valley
• KLO
• McKinley

• Midtown
• Mission
• Pandosy
• Rutland
• Southeast Kelowna
• Southridge
• Quail Ridge

Central City

Central City is the sector near Harvey Avenue from the Okanagan Lake to Highway 33, comprising the city's major business and commercial centres. These include the Capri Center mall & hotel, the Landmark building, and the Center for Arts and Technology Okanagan (CATO). There are also dozens more businesses, restaurants, hotels and supermarkets in this area of town - particularly concentrated along or very near highway 97 (Harvey). While downtown kelowna lies adjacent to this area along the Okanagan Lake, it is considered to be a separate part of town and contains most buildings intended for tourists, nightlife and greater pedestrian traffic (such as Prospera Place, Delta Hotel, Lake City Casino, Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna Museum, etc.). Most of these buildings compose what is often referred to as the "Cultural Center" - a subset of downtown Kelowna.

Dilworth Mountain

Dilworth Mountain is a relatively low and isolated mountain which is located near the geographic center of the city. It lies across from Knox Mountain to the West, and forms part of the eastern heights between which Glenmore Valley lies. While technically a mountain, it rises about one thousand feet or so above the rest of the Okanagan Valley (just over 2000 feet elevation). It has been very extensively developed in recent years; decades of blasting and construction work have resulted in a scenic collection of neighborhoods with suburban character, but located only minutes from Central City. Like many other Kelowna residential districts, Dilworth has gone from relative isolation and wilderness, to hosting many residential roads with hundreds of homes - many of which are considered to be fairly expensive and high-end.

Downtown

Downtown Kelowna is located alongside Okanagan Lake, north of highway 97, south of Clement Avenue, and bound on the west and east by Okanagan Lake and Richter Street respectively. Although downtown is generally the heart of the city with the most pedestrian and tourist traffic by far, there are two main routes through downtown along which various attractions and features are concentrated. These include the north/south walkway from highway 97 to Clement, which passes through several parks along the lake and consists of boardwalks and other trails intended for many people at a time. The other main route is along Bernard Avenue, which is more commercial and lined with restaurants and shops. Although the street continues well outside the downtown area, the main tourist segment lies within its downtown section between Richter St. and Abbott St. by the water. Bernard continues eastbound past Richter, but is residentially zoned.

Multiple beaches, parks, restaurants and stores are located near the waterfront and Bernard Avenue. The cultural district within downtown Kelowna is home to art galleries, museums, sports arenas and several government offices including the law courts and city hall. Kelowna's skyline as is visible from the Westside or on the bridge, is mostly due to buildings in this area. The majority of the relatively few highrises that have been built to date are downtown. As of 2015, there are also several more highrises that are in development or in planning stages. There is currently general agreement among city council as well as Kelowna citizens that continued growth and lack of additional land for zoning reasons as well as the physical barriers of the mountains necessitates new zoning laws and approval of more high-density residential developments. A 29 story hotel has completed the approval process and is scheduled to begin construction in early 2016.

Glenmore

Glenmore is a relatively affluent suburb that lies mostly within Glenmore Valley - a subsection of the Okanagan Valley in the Kelowna area. It has experienced extremely rapid housing development within the past two decades - changing from a small suburb with a relatively rural character to extensive suburban neighborhoods, including several elementary schools and a rapidly growing commercial hub. While most of the homes in this part of town lie on the relatively flat valley bottom, there are several large and more recent neighborhoods being built into the adjacent mountains; the community of Wilden is an example of this.

Midtown

The Midtown area bordered by Enterprise Way on the north, and Springfield and Baron Road at the south is the popular shopping destination for the locals. The largest shopping centre in the interior, Orchard Park, is also located in this area.

Since most of Midtown area consists of car-oriented big-box stores, Midtown is often criticized for its plainness, urban sprawl and the decline of pedestrian-oriented Downtown.

Mission

Known colloquially as "The Mission" or "Okanagan Mission" in order to differentiate itself from Mission, B.C., a city in the Lower Mainland near Vancouver, the Mission used to be a separate jurisdiction before being amalgamated with the City of Kelowna in the mid to late 20th century. This has caused a fairly vibrant secondary commercial centre to emerge which is entirely separate from Downtown, with low to moderate density residential areas in between. It is often differentiated as the "Lower Mission" and "Upper Mission", the former of which contains most of the aforementioned commercial areas such as shopping malls, grocery stores, coffee shops and boutiques. The Upper Mission begins to extend into the foothills and higher terrain, and many parts of this area boast magnificent views of the city, mountains and Okanagan Lake. As a result, this part of town is widely regarded as luxurious and is indeed one of the most expensive neighborhoods of Kelowna. It is not unusual to see homes worth one million dollars or more; the most expensive of which can reach 5 million or even slightly above.

Rutland

Rutland is Kelowna's largest neighborhood by far. Although the majority of the area sits on the valley bottom and is therefore relatively flat, the fringes continue up into the hills and are therefore built at higher elevations and possess more expansive views than the rest of the neighborhood; these homes are correspondingly more expensive. This is the exception, however, as the majority of Rutland is among the most affordable of Kelowna housing. There are also several low-rise apartment buildings which increase the population density relative to most other parts of town. Similar to The Mission, Rutland also used to be a city in its own right until it amalgamated with Kelowna in 1973. Again similarly to development in The Mission, this has resulted in Rutland having a distinct commercial center with many shops and restaurants.

Economy

See also: Okanagan Valley (wine)

The service industry employs the most people in Kelowna, the largest city in the tourist-oriented Okanagan Valley. In summer, boating, golf, hiking and biking are popular, and in winter, both Alpine skiing and Nordic skiing are favourite activities at the nearby Big White and Silver Star ski resorts.

Kelowna produces wines that have received international recognition. Vineyards are common around and south of the city where the climate is ideal for the many wineries. At least two major wineries were damaged or destroyed (now rebuilt) in 2003 due to the Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. Kelowna is also the home of Sun-Rype, a popular manufacturer of fruit bars and juices.

Okanagan College and University of British Columbia are the predominant centres for post-secondary education. Over 5000 full-time students attend Okanagan College. In addition to vocational training and adult basic education, the college offers a highly regarded university transfer program. University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus has a student population of over 8000 full-time students, enrolled in diverse undergraduate and graduate programs.

Kelowna is the seat of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, the third-largest metropolitan area in British Columbia after Vancouver and Victoria, and the largest in the British Columbia Interior. With scenic lake vistas and a dry, mild climate, Kelowna has become one of the fastest growing cities in North America. The appropriate management of such rapid development (and its attendant consequences) is a source of significant debate within the community. Kelowna is the fourth least affordable housing market in Canada, currently maintaining the classification of "Severely Unaffordable". Because of the Okanagan's climate and vineyard-filled scenery, it is often compared to Napa Valley, California.

Crime

View of Kelowna and Okanagan Lake from Knox Mountain

Kelowna's welcome sign

In both 1986 and 1987, alcohol-fueled riots erupted during summer Regatta festivities.

In July 2007 general rowdiness during the annual "Wakefest" wakeboarding competition and music festival led to the decision by Kelowna City Council to ban the event for the following year. Expected to return for the summer 2009 tour after organizers/promoters agreed to changes in the festival (including renaming it, introducing restricted beer garden hours and moving the date to later in the summer), conflicting dates with the national tour forced the festival to be withheld for another year.

In February 2009 an RCMP gang task unit was approved to help deal with gang violence.

In 2012, Kelowna had the highest reported crime rate in Canada, 8,875 per 100,000, although the majority of this is attributable to gangs more prominent in the Greater Vancouver Area. Most crime in Kelowna is non-violent property crime and it has been in general decline since.

Kelowna's use as a film locale

• Fido, a comedy/horror/thriller movie about zombies, was filmed in Kelowna and debuted on 7 September 2006 at the Toronto Film Festival.
• Part of the movie Mee Shee: The Water Giant was filmed in Kelowna.
• The movies Shred, and Shred 2 were partially filmed at Big White, a ski hill near Kelowna.
• Flicka: Country Pride, released in 2012, was filmed in Kelowna in several locations, such as Mission Creek Ranch, Kelowna Secondary School and Gemstone Equestrian Centre.

Kelowna's use as a market trial location

Due to its moderate population, Kelowna is often used as a market trial area where national businesses and organizations can test a new product. Examples include:

• The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority piloted new whole body imaging technology for passenger screening at the Kelowna International Airport from 2008-2009.
• Telus Mobility re-launched its Clearnet discount mobile phone brand in Kelowna and Red Deer, Alberta in 2011.
• Carl's Jr. opened its first Canadian store in Kelowna in 2011
• Kelowna was the first city in Canada to have a permanent Flow-Rider, located at the H20 Facility.
• Peachwave opened its first Canadian store in Kelowna in 2013.
• Overwaitea Food Group opened its first Urban Fare location outside of downtown Vancouver in Kelowna.

Demographics

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1901	261	—
1911	1,661	+536.4%
1921	2,520	+51.7%
1931	4,655	+84.7%
1941	5,118	+9.9%
1951	8,517	+66.4%
1956	9,181	+7.8%
1961	13,188	+43.6%
1966	17,006	+29.0%
1971	19,412	+14.1%
1976	51,955	+167.6%
1981	59,196	+13.9%
1986	61,213	+3.4%
1991	75,950	+24.1%
1996	89,442	+17.8%
2001	96,288	+7.7%
2006	106,707	+10.8%
2011	117,312	+9.9%

According to the Statistics Canada 2011 census, the population estimates there were 117,312 people residing in Kelowna proper, and 147,739 people residing in the Greater Kelowna Area. 48.4% of residents were male and 51.6% were female. Children under five accounted for approximately 4.8% of the resident population of Kelowna. This compares with 5.2% in British Columbia, and 5.6% for Canada overall. As Kelowna has one of the most rapidly growing populations in Canada, its population statistics generally become out-of-date quite rapidly. More recent population estimates (as of 2014) give the Greater Kelowna Area a population of just under 200,000. The most recent (2014) estimate of the population of Kelowna proper is 122,000 - slightly behind expectations.

In mid-2001, 18.4% of the resident population in Kelowna were of retirement age (65 and over for males and females) compared with 13.2% in Canada; the average age is 41.1 years of age, compared to an average age of 37.6 years in Canada.

In the five years between 1996 and 2001, the population of Kelowna grew by 7.7%, compared with an increase of 4.9% for British Columbia as a whole. Population density of Kelowna averaged 50.9 people per square kilometre, compared with Vancouver at 5335 people per square kilometre, and with all of British Columbia with an average of 4.2 people/km².

Visible minorities make up about 6.2% of the population of Kelowna. The largest group of visible minorities are, in order of size, South Asian, Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asian, Filipino and other Asian, Black, Latin American, multiple/other, and Arab.

Kelowna's population growth has been driven primarily by the movement of Canadians from BC and other provinces into this region, not by international immigration. Only 15.1% of the population is foreign born.

In 2012, Kelowna had the highest crime rate of any metropolitan area in Canada, mainly because of its property crime. This increase has, however, been attributed mainly to the actions of a relative few known, prolific offenders. As of 2015, the crime rate has declined.

Religious groups

	Population	% of Total
Catholic	18,195	19.2
Protestant	38,215	40.3
Christian Orthodox	795	0.8
Christian, n.i.e.	5,735	6.1
Muslim	250	0.2
Jewish	215	0.2
Buddhist	505	0.5
Hindu	140	0.1
Sikh	855	0.9
Eastern religions	110	0.1
No religious affiliation	29,435	31.1
Total	94,760	100

Source: Statistics Canada 2001 Census

Canada 2006 Census		Population	% of Total Population
Visible minority group Source:	South Asian	1,875	1.8%
	Chinese	1,235	1.2%
	Black	485	0.5%
	Filipino	380	0.4%
	Latin American	420	0.4%
	Arab	50	0%
	Southeast Asian	620	0.6%
	West Asian	100	0.1%
	Korean	215	0.2%
	Japanese	885	0.8%
	Other visible minority	70	0.1%
	Mixed visible minority	190	0.2%
Total visible minority population		6,520	6.2%
Aboriginal group Source:	First Nations	3,600	3.4%
	Métis	0	0%
	Inuit	0	0%
Total Aboriginal population		3,600	3.4%
White		95,050	90.4%
Total population		105,170	100%

Ethnic Chinese

Kelowna had a historic Chinatown in the area between Harvey Avenue and Leon Avenue, east of Abbott and west of Highway 97/Harvey Avenue. Historically most residents of this Chinatown were males. In 1909 15% of Kelowna's population was ethnic Chinese. In 1911 the percentage was the same. That year Sun Yat-sen visited Kelowna for fundraising purposes. In 1978 the final remaining traditional Chinese business ceased operations. By 2010 less than 1% of Kelowna's population was ethnic Chinese. A section of the façade of the rebuilt "Chinese Store" that was in Chinatown is now housed at the Kelowna Museum.

Transportation

Kelowna faces severe suburbanization and urban sprawl promoted by the popularity of low-density car-oriented developments. As of 2007, Kelowna has the highest car dependency rate in Canada and has the second highest per-capita road transportation carbon footprint in British Columbia. Despite having a metro population of about 180,000, the greater Kelowna area is slightly bigger than that of metro Vancouver. Road transportation accounts for more than 65% of total greenhouse gas emission in the city.

Roads and highways

For years, only one major highway passed through the city of Kelowna: Highway 97. The road itself is good, but its connections to all points east and west in the province were only managed by using the slow, curving Trans Canada Highway and the Crowsnest Highway.

In 1986, in time for the opening of Expo 86, a new freeway was built into the BC interior, eliminating over two hours of travel time between the Coast and the interior. This freeway, starting in Hope, is known as the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy 5), and terminates in Kamloops. At Merritt another newer (1989) highway, the Okanagan Connector, BC Highway 97C, heads eastward to Highway 97, which it joins at the West Kelowna-Peachland boundary. This new freeway system allows one to drive the 395 kilometres from Vancouver to Kelowna in less than four hours.

Kelowna is connected to West Kelowna by the new five lane William R. Bennett Bridge which officially opened 25 May 2008. This new bridge links Highway 97 to the southern Okanagan and to the Coquihalla Highway via Hwy 97C. The old floating bridge has been dismantled as it has outlived its usefulness and was incapable of supporting the current traffic levels. A small park area on the Kelowna side of the bridge has a dedication to the old bridge, and artwork made of pieces of it.

Highway 33, which connects with Highway 97 in Rutland, provides an alternate way to enter and exit the city, towards the southeast; it also is the route to the Big White Ski area.

Kelowna's road network has sometimes been a source of criticism by local residents especially regarding Highway 97 and its high traffic volumes. Highway 97 runs right through the centre of the city along Harvey Avenue, which has 6 lanes and is the busiest road in the BC interior. There are many big box stores and shopping centres along Harvey, including Orchard Park Shopping Centre. Plans have been in place for several decades for a limited access bypass to run through the North End and across Okanagan Lake via a second bridge. So far, only a 3 kilometre section of this future roadway has been constructed alongside the rail line, known as part of Clement Avenue today.

Public transport

Main article: Kelowna Regional Transit System

Kelowna Regional Transit System is operated by FirstGroup, providing public bus transportation services in Kelowna and its vicinity. Funding for the transit system is shared between the City of Kelowna, Central Okanagan Regional District, District of Lake Country and BC Transit.

Air travel

Main article: Kelowna International Airport

Kelowna International Airport (IATA: YLW), north of the city core, is one of the busiest airports in Canada. There are regular flights to and from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Cranbrook, Whitehorse and Seattle, as well as seasonal service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Mexico.

Local services

Emergency services are provided by the Kelowna General Hospital, the British Columbia Ambulance Service, Kelowna Fire Department, Central Okanagan Search and Rescue and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Venues and attractions

• Prospera Place, a 6,800-seat arena
• Apple Bowl, a 2,314 seat outdoor stadium
• Kelowna Art Gallery
• Kelowna Hydrofest on Okanagan Lake
• Center of Gravity Festival in City Park
• sncewipsmuseum.org
• Summerhill Pyramid Winery
• Kettle Valley Railway (Myra Canyon Trestles)
• Big White Ski Resort
• Golf courses
• Wineries
• Beaches

Culture and sport

Kelowna Marina

• Westbank First Nation
• Kelowna Rockets – Western Hockey League (Winners of the 2004 Memorial Cup)
• Okanagan Sun – Canadian Junior Football League (Winners of the 1988 and 2000 Canadian Bowl)
• Okanagan Challenge – Pacific Coast Soccer League
• Kelowna Falcons – West Coast Collegiate Baseball League
• Center of Gravity Festival
• Kelowna Hydrofest- American Boat Racing Association (Largest professional boat racing series in Canada)
• Okanagan Coyotes

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools in the Kelowna area are part of School District 23 Central Okanagan

• Secondary (Grades 10–12 or 8–12):
  • Kelowna Secondary School (offers French immersion)
  • Rutland Senior Secondary School
  • Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School
  • Okanagan Mission Secondary School
  • "George Elliot Secondary School
  • "Central School - Central Programs & Services: Alternative High School
• Middle (Grades 7–9):
  • KLO Middle School (offers French immersion)
  • Dr. Knox Middle School
  • Constable Neil Bruce Middle School
  • Rutland Middle School
  • Springvalley Middle School
  • Glenrosa Middle School
• Elementary Schools (Grades K-6 or K-7):
  • About 20 elementary schools are located throughout the city. (See the school directory list for district 23)

The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates one Francophone school: école de l'Anse-au-sable primary and secondary school.

Private schools

• Aberdeen Hall Preparatory School Preparatory School (Pre-school, K-11)
• Kelowna Christian School (Pre-12)
• Heritage Christian School (K-12)
• Studio 9 School of The Arts (Preschool-11)
• Okanagan Adventist Academy (Pre-12)
• Immaculata Regional High School (8–12)
• St. Joseph Elementary (K-7)
• Kelowna Waldorf School (Pre-8)
• Okanagan Montessori School (Preschool & Kindergarten)
• Okanagan Montessori Preschool-grade 6, after school care

Post-secondary

• The University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus)
• Southern Medical Program
• Okanagan College
• Justice Institute of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus)
• Sprott Shaw College (privately owned)
• The Centre for Arts and Technology (privately owned)

Public libraries

• The Okanagan Regional Library has three branches in Kelowna
  • Kelowna Branch (Downtown)
  • Rutland Branch
  • Mission Branch

Notable people

Politicians

• W. A. C. Bennett, late Premier of British Columbia
• William R. Bennett, served as Premier of the province

Military

• Charles Thomas, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

Athletes

• Jason Crumb, professional football player
• Mike Crumb, professional football player
• Byron Dafoe, professional ice hockey player
• Scott Frandsen, Olympic rower
• Rob Friend, professional footballer
• Josh Gorges, professional ice hockey player
• Dany Heatley, all-star hockey player
• Darren Jensen, professional ice hockey player
• Conrad Leinemann, Olympic beach volleyball player
• Rory MacDonald, professional UFC fighter
• Heather Mandoli, Olympic rower
• Axel Merckx, professional road cyclist
• Kees Nierop, professional Racecar driver
• Justin Schultz, professional ice hockey player
• Kelsey Serwa, professional freestyle skier
• Tyler Shelast, professional ice hockey player
• Paul Spoljaric, professional baseball player
• Christie Van Hees, professional racquetball player, former US Open & World Champion
• Danny Watkins, professional football player
• Shea Weber, professional ice hockey player
• Jerod Zaleski, professional football player
• Jeff Zimmerman, professional baseball player
• Jordan Zimmerman, professional baseball player

Entertainers

• Bend Sinister
• Chad Brownlee, country music artist
• Datsik
• Excision
• The Grapes of Wrath
• Jillian Harris, television personality
• Paul Johansson, actor
• Taylor Kitsch, actor
• Evangeline Lilly, actress/model
• Secret & Whisper
• We Are the City
• Yukon Blonde

Authors

• Melonie Dodaro

Accolade

On November 4, 2015, The Canadian Institute of Planners announced winners of its fifth annual Great Places in Canada contest. A jury of seven professional planners named Stuart Park as the Great Public Space. "The jury was won over by the multiple strengths of the park — its everyday use, community focus, unique reflection of local character and natural environment, accessibility for multi-generational activities, and the significant role it already plays as a Great Space in Kelowna."

Sister cities

Kelowna has "sister city" agreements with the following cities:

• Kasugai, Japan
• Veendam, Netherlands
• Senanga, Zambia

See also

• Orchard Park Shopping Centre
• Sunshine tax
• The Daily Courier
• WT Small House

External links

• Official website