Williams Lake, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Williams Lake, is a city in the Central Interior
of British Columbia
, Canada
. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo
, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops
and Prince George
, with a population of 11,150 in city limits.
Williams Lake hosts the annual Williams Lake Stampede, which takes place over the Canada Day
long weekend. It is also the home town of Rick Hansen
, the Canadian
paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord
injuries, who became famous during his fundraising Man in Motion world tour.
from joining the Chilcotin
in their uprising
against the settler population.
The story of Williams Lake began in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush
when Gold Commissioner
Philip Henry Nind
and Constable
William Pinchbeck
arrived from Victoria
to organize a local government and maintain law and order.
At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road
and another trail through the Fraser Canyon
. Both met at Williams Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail
. With the center of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse
, a roadhouse
and the jail that Nind had requested. Meanwhile, William Pinchbeck had not been idle and had built his own roadhouse, saloon and store. Eventually he would own most of the valley.
In 1863, the town was excited by the news of the construction of Cariboo Road
, believing it would pass through their already established and important trading center. However, the roadbuilder Gustavus Blin Wright
rerouted the original trail so that it bypassed Williams Lake and went through 150 Mile House
instead.
The Williams Lake by-pass doomed the city and accusations flew that Gustavus Blin Wright had changed the route for his own personal benefit as he owned a roadhouse at Deep Creek along the new route. Regardless of Wright's motives, Williams Lake was forgotten and wouldn't be reborn until nearly half a century later with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, later BC Rail and now CN Rail.
, logging, milling, mining
and ranching.
has a campus
in Williams Lake and offers a wide variety of programs and courses including university transfers, certificate and diploma programs, trades and technology, and university and career preparation. The Elder College is another local division of Thompson Rivers University, and offers programs and opportunities for people who are 50+ and are interested in participating in the programs, courses and special events.
Greyhound Bus Lines provides bus service south to Vancouver
and Kamloops, north to Prince George
.
CN Rail offers freight service north and south of Williams Lake.
The Williams Lake Airport
is located 14 kilometers north of the city and was opened in 1956 by Transport Canada
and on January 1, 1997 the ownership of the airport was transferred to the City of Williams Lake. The airport is served by both Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Central Mountain Air with daily flights to Vancouver
Local public transportation consists of the BC Transit
and Handy Dart bus service.
, barrel racing
, bareback
riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling
, team roping
and chuckwagon
races
. The Williams Lake Stampede plays host to many top cowboys and international rodeo
competitors from Canada and the United States
most of which continue on the circuit to the Calgary Stampede, the following weekend.
The Stampede festivities also include a parade of floats from local orginaizations, such as 4H groups, native bands, community service groups, the stampede royalty and local merchants. There is also a carnival with rides and games located near the stampede grounds.
A key feature of Scout Island is the Nature House which strategically overlooks the extensive marsh adjacent to the island. The Nature Centre is operated by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists which is lead by Jenny Noble and offers displays, programs and information interpreting the diverse and sensitive environment of Scout Island. They have recently created a Facebook page that outlines their activities.
The Nature Trust of British Columbia is the owner of this 9.69 hectares which was purchased in 1973 - 1988 and is leased to the City of Williams Lake.
Launched in July of 2011 by Rick Roy from KVPN.CA.
The on demand grass roots community programming web tv streaming channel is available online and additionally can be viewed via HDMI on a flat screen TV.
British Columbia Interior
The British Columbia Interior or BC Interior or Interior of British Columbia, usually referred to only as the Interior, is one of the three main regions of the Canadian province of British Columbia, the other two being the Lower Mainland, which comprises the overlapping areas of Greater Vancouver...
of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Located in the central part of a region known as the Cariboo
Cariboo
The Cariboo is an intermontane region of British Columbia along a plateau stretching from the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo Mountains. The name is a reference to the woodland caribou that were once abundant in the region...
, it is the largest urban centre between Kamloops
Kamloops, British Columbia
Kamloops is a city in south central British Columbia, at the confluence of the two branches of the Thompson River and near Kamloops Lake. It is the largest community in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District and the location of the regional district's offices. The surrounding region is more commonly...
and Prince George
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
, with a population of 11,150 in city limits.
Williams Lake hosts the annual Williams Lake Stampede, which takes place over the Canada Day
Canada Day
Canada Day , formerly Dominion Day , is the national day of Canada, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the July 1, 1867, enactment of the British North America Act , which united three British colonies into a single country, called Canada, within the British Empire...
long weekend. It is also the home town of Rick Hansen
Rick Hansen
Richard M. Hansen, CC, OBC is a Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. Following a car crash at the age of 15, Hansen sustained a spinal cord injury that paralyzed him from the waist down. Hansen is most famous for his Man In Motion World Tour...
, the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
injuries, who became famous during his fundraising Man in Motion world tour.
History
Williams Lake is named in honor of Secwepemc chief William, whose counsel prevented the ShuswapSecwepemc
The Secwepemc , known in English as the Shuswap people, are a First Nations people residing in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Their traditional territory ranges from the eastern Chilcotin Plateau and the Cariboo Plateau southeast through the Thompson Country to Kamloops and the Shuswap...
from joining the Chilcotin
Tsilhqot'in
The Tsilhqot'in are a Northern Athabaskan First Nations people that live in British Columbia, Canada...
in their uprising
Chilcotin War
The Chilcotin War, Chilcotin Uprising or Bute Inlet Massacre was a confrontation in 1864 between members of the Tsilhqot'in people in British Columbia and white road construction workers...
against the settler population.
The story of Williams Lake began in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush
Cariboo Gold Rush
The Cariboo Gold Rush was a gold rush in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Although the first gold discovery was made in 1859 at Horsefly Creek, followed by more strikes at Keithley Creek and Antler Horns lake in 1860, the actual rush did not begin until 1861, when these discoveries were...
when Gold Commissioner
Gold Commissioner
Gold Commissioner was an important regional administrative post in the Colony of British Columbia.In the 1860s, Governor Douglas had three priorities to protect the two colonies he governed: to protect the boundaries, to uphold law and order and to provide access to the gold fields...
Philip Henry Nind
Philip Henry Nind
Philip Henry Nind was an English rower and gold commissioner in colonial British Columbia.Nind was born at Hawthorns, Berkshire, the son of Rev. Philip Henry Nind and his wife Agnes Bussell . He was educated at Christ Church, Oxford where he was a proficient rower. In the 1852 Boat Race, he...
and Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
William Pinchbeck
William Pinchbeck
William Pinchbeck was one of the original settlers in the Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada. He was a member of the British Columbia Provincial Police and owned a roadhouse and many other properties in Williams Lake, British Columbia.-Early years:Pinchbeck was born in Yorkshire, England...
arrived from Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
to organize a local government and maintain law and order.
At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road
Douglas Road
The Douglas Road, aka the Lillooet Trail, Harrison Trail or Lakes Route, was a goldrush-era transportation route from the British Columbia Coast to the Interior...
and another trail through the Fraser Canyon
Fraser Canyon
The Fraser Canyon is an 84 km landform of the Fraser River where it descends rapidly through narrow rock gorges in the Coast Mountains en route from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia to the Fraser Valley...
. Both met at Williams Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
. With the center of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse
Courthouse
A courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
, a roadhouse
Roadhouse (facility)
A roadhouse is a commercial establishment typically built on a major road or highway, to service passing travellers. Its meaning varies slightly by country.-USA:...
and the jail that Nind had requested. Meanwhile, William Pinchbeck had not been idle and had built his own roadhouse, saloon and store. Eventually he would own most of the valley.
In 1863, the town was excited by the news of the construction of Cariboo Road
Cariboo Road
The Cariboo Road was a project initiated in 1860 by the colonial Governor of British Columbia, James Douglas...
, believing it would pass through their already established and important trading center. However, the roadbuilder Gustavus Blin Wright
Gustavus Blin Wright
Gustavus Blin Wright was a pioneer roadbuilder and entrepreneur in British Columbia, Canada. His biggest achievement was building the Old Cariboo Road to the Cariboo gold fields, from Lillooet to Fort Alexandria, but he was also a partner in a freighting firm that operated on the Douglas Road, he...
rerouted the original trail so that it bypassed Williams Lake and went through 150 Mile House
150 Mile House, British Columbia
150 Mile House is an unincorporated settlement of 893 people in the Cariboo region of British Columbia.It is located 15 km south of Williams Lake on Highway 97....
instead.
The Williams Lake by-pass doomed the city and accusations flew that Gustavus Blin Wright had changed the route for his own personal benefit as he owned a roadhouse at Deep Creek along the new route. Regardless of Wright's motives, Williams Lake was forgotten and wouldn't be reborn until nearly half a century later with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, later BC Rail and now CN Rail.
Demographics
| Ethnic Origin | Population | Percent of 18,760* | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| English English people The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens... |
5,865 | 31.26% | |
| Irish Irish people The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha... |
3,380 | 18.00% | |
| Manx Manx people The Manx are an ethnic group coming from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea in northern Europe. They are often described as a Celtic people, though they have had a mixed background including Norse and English influences.... |
10 | 0.001% | |
| Scottish Scottish people The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,... |
4,520 | 24.10% | |
| Welsh Welsh people The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have... |
475 | 2.53% | |
| misc. British Isles British people The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants... , n.i.e.** |
255 | 1.36% | |
| French French people The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups... |
2,330 | 12.42% | |
| Métis Métis people (Canada) The Métis are one of the Aboriginal peoples in Canada who trace their descent to mixed First Nations parentage. The term was historically a catch-all describing the offspring of any such union, but within generations the culture syncretised into what is today a distinct aboriginal group, with... |
640 | 3.41% | |
| North American Indian | 2,735 | 14.58% | incl. First Nations First Nations First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The... , Native Americans Native Americans in the United States Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as... and Alaska Natives Alaska Natives Alaska Natives are the indigenous peoples of Alaska. They include: Aleut, Inuit, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, Eyak, and a number of Northern Athabaskan cultures.-History:In 1912 the Alaska Native Brotherhood was founded... |
| American Demographics of the United States As of today's date, the United States has a total resident population of , making it the third most populous country in the world. It is a very urbanized population, with 82% residing in cities and suburbs as of 2008 . This leaves vast expanses of the country nearly uninhabited... |
485 | 2.59% | |
| Canadian Demographics of Canada This article about the demographic features of the population of Canada, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population, the People of Canada.... |
4,850 | 25.85% | |
| Jamaican | 20 | 0.11% | |
| Brazilian | 10 | 0.005% | |
| Maya | 10 | 0.05% | |
| Mexican Mexican people Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity.... |
85 | 0.45% | |
| Austrian | 210 | 1.12% | |
| Belgian | 65 | 0.35% | |
| Dutch (Netherlands) Dutch people The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United... |
1,120 | 5.97% | % not incl. Frisians or Flemish |
| Flemish Flemish people The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons... |
15 | 0.08% | |
| German Ethnic German Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship... |
3,725 | 19.86% | |
| Swiss | 215 | 1.15% | |
| Finnish | 150 | 0.80% | |
| Danish | 230 | 1.23% | |
| Iceland | 90 | 0.48% | |
| Norwegian Norwegians Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd... |
830 | 4.42% | |
| Swedish | 695 | 3.70% | |
| misc. Scandinavian, n.i.e.** | 85 | 0.45% | may include Sami Sami people The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost... and Kven |
| Lithuanian | 15 | 0.08% | |
| Czech Czech people Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries... |
125 | 0.67% | |
| Czechoslovakian | 40 | 0.21% | |
| Slovak | 25 | 0.13% | |
| Hungarian (Magyar) | 255 | 1.36% | |
| Polish Poles thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe... |
590 | 3.14% | |
| Romanian | 110 | 0.59% | |
| Russian | 480 | 2.56% | |
| Ukrainian Ukrainians Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens... |
980 | 5.22% | |
| Croatian | 20 | 0.11% | |
| Greek | 45 | 0.24% | |
| Italian Italian people The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people... |
465 | 2.48% | |
| Portuguese Portuguese people The Portuguese are a nation and ethnic group native to the country of Portugal, in the west of the Iberian peninsula of south-west Europe. Their language is Portuguese, and Roman Catholicism is the predominant religion.... |
35 | 0.19% | |
| Spanish Spanish people The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history.... |
115 | 0.61% | |
| Yugoslav, n.i.e.** | 70 | 0.37% | |
| Basque Basque people The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the... |
20 | 0.11% | |
| Gypsy (Roma) | 10 | 0.05% | |
| Jewish | 65 | 0.35% | |
| misc. European, n.i.e.** | 35 | 0.19% | |
| Black Black people The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a... |
30 | 0.16% | |
| Ghanaian | 10 | 0.05% | |
| South African | 50 | 0.27% | |
| misc. African African people African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":... , n.i.e.** |
10 | 0.05% | |
| Maghrebi origins Maghreb The Maghreb is the region of Northwest Africa, west of Egypt. It includes five countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Mauritania and the disputed territory of Western Sahara... |
15 | 0.08% | |
| misc. Arab, n.i.e. | 10 | 0.05% | |
| East Indian India India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world... |
625 | 3.33% | |
| Gujarati | 20 | 0.11% | |
| Punjabi Punjabi people The Punjabi people , ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ), also Panjabi people, are an Indo-Aryan group from South Asia. They are the second largest of the many ethnic groups in South Asia. They originate in the Punjab region, which has been been the location of some of the oldest civilizations in the world including, the... |
105 | 0.56% | |
| Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... n |
10 | 0.05% | |
| misc. South Asian, n.i.e.** | 25 | 0.13% | |
| Chinese Han Chinese Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the... |
150 | 0.80% | |
| Filipino Filipino Canadian Filipino Canadians are Canadians of Filipino ancestry. Filipino-Canadians are the fourth-largest subgroup of the Overseas Filipinos.Canada only had a small population of Filipinos until the late 20th century. To date, there are currently around 400,000 Filipino Canadians in Canada, most of them... |
25 | 0.13% | |
| Indonesian Indonesian people Indonesian people may be:*any nation or ethnic group of Indonesia**see Demographics of Indonesia**see Overseas Indonesians**see Ethnic groups in Indonesia**see Native Indonesians... |
10 | 0.05% | |
| Japanese Japanese people The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries... |
75 | 0.08% | |
| Korean Korean people The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:... |
10 | 0.05% | |
| Malaysian | 50 | 0.26% | |
| Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... n |
35 | 0.19% | |
| New Zealander | 15 | 0.08% | |
| *Percentages total more than 100% due to multiple responses e.g. German-East Indian, Norwegian-Irish-Polish. | |||
| **Not included elsewhere. | |||
| ***Not otherwise specified. |
Economy
The primary industries in Williams Lake are forestryForestry
Forestry is the interdisciplinary profession embracing the science, art, and craft of creating, managing, using, and conserving forests and associated resources in a sustainable manner to meet desired goals, needs, and values for human benefit. Forestry is practiced in plantations and natural stands...
, logging, milling, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
and ranching.
Climate
Education
Williams Lake is served by Cariboo-Chilcotin School District 27School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin
School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin is a school district in central British Columbia. It covers a large geographic area from 100 Mile House in the south to Williams Lake in the north.-Schools:...
Elementary schools
- Cataline Elementary School
- Chilcotin Road Elementary School
- Glendale Elementary SchoolGlendale Elementary SchoolGlendale Elementary is a public elementary school in Williams Lake, British Columbia part of School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin....
- Kwaleen Elementary SchoolKwaleen Elementary SchoolKwaleen Elementary is a public elementary school in Williams Lake, British Columbia part of School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin....
- Marie Sharpe Elementary School
- Nesika Elementary School
- Mountview Elementary School
- Wildwood Elementary School
- Sacred Heart Elementary School
- Poplar Glade Elementary School burned down due to bad wiring
- Crescent Heights Elementary School closed and reopened as Maranatha Christian School
- Seventh Day Adventist Academy
Secondary schools
- Columneetza Secondary SchoolColumneetza Secondary SchoolColumneetza Secondary is a public high school in Williams Lake, British Columbia part of School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin. It is where Rick Hansen graduated from....
- Williams Lake Secondary SchoolWilliams Lake Secondary SchoolWilliams Lake Secondary School is a public high school in Williams Lake, British Columbia part of School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin. It is often called "WL" or "WLSS". Its rival school is Columneetza Secondary School. Before 1999 it only included grades 8-10 and was known as Williams Lake...
- GROW centre
- Anne Stevenson Secondary School (merged with Columneetza Secondary SchoolColumneetza Secondary SchoolColumneetza Secondary is a public high school in Williams Lake, British Columbia part of School District 27 Cariboo-Chilcotin. It is where Rick Hansen graduated from....
)
Colleges and universities
Thompson Rivers UniversityThompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University is a comprehensive university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It offers students a broad range of courses, career streams, and the ability to ladder credits from diploma programs into full degrees...
has a campus
Campus
A campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
in Williams Lake and offers a wide variety of programs and courses including university transfers, certificate and diploma programs, trades and technology, and university and career preparation. The Elder College is another local division of Thompson Rivers University, and offers programs and opportunities for people who are 50+ and are interested in participating in the programs, courses and special events.
Sports and recreation
- The Williams Lake StampedersWilliams Lake StampedersThe Williams Lake Stampeders are an intermediate and senior hockey ice hockey team in Williams Lake, British Columbia.The senior team played in the Cariboo Hockey League from the league's founding in 1936 until 1979. The Stampeders won the league title twice, in 1960-61 and 1962-63.The team was...
are the local Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team, playing in the Central Interior Hockey League; their arena is the Cariboo Memorial Complex - The Williams Lake TimberwolvesWilliams Lake TimberWolvesThe Williams Lake TimberWolves are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada currently suspended from the BCHL . They were part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The team took a leave of absence for the 2007-08 and 2008-2009 seasons to relocate to Wenatchee,...
resumed play in September, 2009 in the BCHL. Due to financial obligations, the BCHL has suspended the Williams Lake franchise for the 2010/11 season. - Williams Lake has facilities for curlingCurlingCurling is a sport in which players slide stones across a sheet of ice towards a target area. It is related to bowls, boule and shuffleboard. Two teams, each of four players, take turns sliding heavy, polished granite stones, also called "rocks", across the ice curling sheet towards the house, a...
, golfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, tennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, swimming rugbyRugby footballRugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. - There's skiingSkiingSkiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
and snowboardingSnowboardingSnowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
available at the Mount Timothy Ski AreaMount Timothy Ski AreaMount Timothy Ski Area is a small ski area located in the South Cariboo region of British Columbia, Canada, 30 km north of 100 Mile House and 18 km northeast of Lac La Hache...
located near 150 Mile House. - The Thunder Mountain Speedway holds stock car races, and the Crash-to-Pass also holds races in the summer months.
- Mountain biking, and hiking is a popular activity on trails.
Arts and culture
- The Station House Studio and Gallery Society, a non-profit organization, was formed in 1981 to preserve and restore the BC Rail Station at #1 Mackenzie Avenue North, and to provide studio and gallery space. Each month, the Gallery exhibits a variety of contemporary works in many mediums by local, regional, and touring artists. The Society also operates a gift shop that features the work of local artisans and crafts people.* The Museum of the Cariboo-Chicotin offers a glimpse into the Central Cariboo's history and is home to the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame.
- Williams Lake Studio Theater Society has now operated for more than fifty years.
- The Williams Lake Community Band meets on Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm in the band room at WLSS under the directorship of Michael Butterfield. This band performs at local community events such as the Remembrance Day Ceremony, the Stampede Parade, and at anniversary or opening ceremonies such as the Tourism Centre.
- The Williams Lake Pipe Band was founded in 2006 and practices at the Royal Canadian Legion in Williams Lake on Tuesdays.
- Author Mark Leiren-YoungMark Leiren-YoungMark Leiren-Young is a Canadian journalist, screenwriter, playwright and occasional performer in the comedy duo Local Anxiety. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.-Writing:...
wrote a comic memoir (Never Shoot a Stampede Queen) about his experiences with The Williams Lake Tribune, which won the 2009 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour. - Williams Lake is referenced in the Swedish movie "Skills"www.skillsthemovie.com/ during the scene in which various characters from around the world are seen betting on online underground parkour-skateboard-breakdance-martial arts battles.
Transportation
Williams Lake is located on the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 20.Greyhound Bus Lines provides bus service south to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
and Kamloops, north to Prince George
Prince George, British Columbia
Prince George, with a population of 71,030 , is the largest city in northern British Columbia, Canada, and is known as "BC's Northern Capital"...
.
CN Rail offers freight service north and south of Williams Lake.
The Williams Lake Airport
Williams Lake Airport
Williams Lake Airport or Williams Lake Regional Airport, , is located northeast of Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada.-Airlines and destinations:-External links:*...
is located 14 kilometers north of the city and was opened in 1956 by Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
and on January 1, 1997 the ownership of the airport was transferred to the City of Williams Lake. The airport is served by both Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Central Mountain Air with daily flights to Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
Local public transportation consists of the BC Transit
BC Transit
BC Transit is a provincial crown agency responsible for coordinating the delivery of public transportation within British Columbia, Canada, outside of Greater Vancouver...
and Handy Dart bus service.
The Williams Lake Stampede
Held annually, on the Canada Day long weekend, the Williams Lake Stampede features Canadian Professional Rodeo Association action including bull ridingBull riding
Bull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
, barrel racing
Barrel racing
Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a clover-leaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. Though both boys and girls compete at the youth level and men compete in some amateur venues, in collegiate and professional ranks, it is primarily a rodeo...
, bareback
Bareback
Bareback riding is a form of horseback riding without a saddle.Bareback may also refer to:* A type of rodeo event* Bareback , an act of unprotected sex* "Bareback" , a 2003 glam metal song...
riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling
Steer wrestling
Steer wrestling, also known as bulldogging, is a rodeo event in which a horse-mounted rider chases a steer, drops from the horse to the steer, then wrestles the steer to the ground by twisting its horns. Like all rodeo events, there are concerns from the animal rights community that the competition...
, team roping
Team roping
Team roping also known as heading and heeling is a rodeo event that features a steer and two mounted riders. The first roper is referred to as the "header," the person who ropes the front of the steer, usually around the horns, but it is also legal for the rope to go around the neck, or go around...
and chuckwagon
Chuckwagon
A chuckwagon or chuck wagon is a type of wagon historically used to carry food and cooking equipment on the prairies of the United States and Canada. Such wagons would form part of a wagon train of settlers or feed traveling workers such as cowboys or loggers.In modern times, chuckwagons feature...
races
Racing
A sport race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time...
. The Williams Lake Stampede plays host to many top cowboys and international rodeo
Rodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
competitors from Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
most of which continue on the circuit to the Calgary Stampede, the following weekend.
The Stampede festivities also include a parade of floats from local orginaizations, such as 4H groups, native bands, community service groups, the stampede royalty and local merchants. There is also a carnival with rides and games located near the stampede grounds.
Scout Island
Scout Island, located on the west end of Williams Lake off South Mackenzie Avenue, is a nature sanctuary and park area comprising two islands connected to the mainland by a vehicle causeway. In addition to a beach area, picnic ground and boat launch, Scout Island contains a series of nature trails that take visitors through a relatively undisturbed natural environment, rich in bird and small wildlife habitat.A key feature of Scout Island is the Nature House which strategically overlooks the extensive marsh adjacent to the island. The Nature Centre is operated by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists which is lead by Jenny Noble and offers displays, programs and information interpreting the diverse and sensitive environment of Scout Island. They have recently created a Facebook page that outlines their activities.
The Nature Trust of British Columbia is the owner of this 9.69 hectares which was purchased in 1973 - 1988 and is leased to the City of Williams Lake.
Web tv - Streaming on Demand Video
- www.wlctv.ca - wlctv.ca is acronym for Williams Lake Community TV
Launched in July of 2011 by Rick Roy from KVPN.CA.
- WLCTV.CA is an Independent project ensuring access programming for the people of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coasts Regions.
The on demand grass roots community programming web tv streaming channel is available online and additionally can be viewed via HDMI on a flat screen TV.
Radio
- AM 570 - CKWLCKCQ-FMCKCQ-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 100.3 FM in Quesnel, British Columbia. Owned by Vista Broadcast Group, the station airs a country music format branded as The Wolf. The station also has a rebroadcast transmitter in Williams Lake .The station was launched in 1957 by Cariboo...
, country - AM 860 - CBRLCBTK-FMCBTK-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts the programming of the CBC Radio One network in Kelowna, British Columbia. The station airs at 88.9 on the FM dial in Kelowna.-History:The station was launched in 1987...
, CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming... - FM 96.1 - VF2235CFNR-FMCFNR-FM is a Canadian radio station based in Terrace, British Columbia, owned and operated by Northern Native Broadcasting. The programming represents the First Nations communities in Northern British Columbia. Programming of CFNR-FM is distributed to numerous repeater stations in the region.The...
, First NationsFirst NationsFirst Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
community radioCommunity radioCommunity radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest... - FM 97.5 - CFFM-FMCFFM-FMCFFM-FM is a radio station in Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada broadcasting at FM 97.5 MHz, with a hot adult contemporary format branded as The Rush...
, hot adult contemporary - FM 100.7 - 100.7 FM Williams Lake, British Columbia100.7 FM Williams Lake, British Columbia100.7 FM Williams Lake, British Columbia is a new Canadian radio station which will broadcast a community radio programming on the frequency of 100.7 MHz/FM in Williams Lake, British Columbia.-History:...
, (Planned Radio Station, this station's callsign and launch date has yet to be announced.) Community RadioCommunity radioCommunity radio is a type of radio service, that offers a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting. Community stations can serve geographic communities and communities of interest...