| District of Squamish | |||
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| Coordinates: 49°42′6″N 123°09′32″W / 49.70167°N 123.15889°W | |||
| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  British Columbia |
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| Region | Howe Sound/Sea to Sky Country | ||
| Regional District | Squamish-Lillooet Regional District | ||
| Government | |||
| - Mayor | Greg Gardner | ||
| - Governing Body | Squamish Council | ||
| - MP | John Weston | ||
| - MLA | Joan McInytre | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 95.41 km2 (36.8 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 5 m (16 ft) | ||
| Population (2006) | |||
| - Total | 14,949 | ||
| - Density | 149.3/km2 (386.7/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) | ||
| Postal code span | V8B | ||
| Area code(s) | 604 | ||
| Website | District of Squamish.BC.ca | ||
Squamish (2006 census population 14,949) is a community and a district municipality in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located at the north end of Howe Sound on the Sea to Sky Highway. The population of the Squamish census agglomeration, including Indian Reserves of the Squamish Nation not governed by the municipality, is 15,256.[1]
Squamish as a town had its beginning during the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway in the 1910s, and was the first southern terminus of that railway (now a part of CN), and the town remains important in the operations of the line and also the port. Forestry has traditionally been the main industry in the area, and the town's largest employer was the Western Forest Products pulp mill. However, Western Pulp, Squamish Operation permanently ceased operation on January 26, 2006.[2]. Before the pulp mill the town's largest employer had been International Forest Products (Interfor) with their sawmill and logging operation but it closed a few years prior to the Pulp mill. In recent years, Squamish has also become popular with Vancouver and Whistler residents escaping the increased cost of living in those places, both less than one hour away by highway, with tourism an increasingly important part of the town's economy.
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Sḵwxwú7mesh
The Squamish (or Sḵwxwú7mesh in the Squamish language) is the name of the aboriginal people who have inhabited this part of southwest BC (including North and West Vancouver) since before the time of contact with Europeans. Squamish is the English pronunciation of Skwxwú7mesh, the traditional name for the people. The name Keh Kait was the traditional name for the site of downtown Squamish.[3]
The largest village of the Sḵwxwú7mesh in the Squamish area is Chiyakmesh, which is in the area of Brackendale and is the namesake of the Cheakamus River. Another main village is located at near the south entrance of town, St'a7mes, which lies below the Stawamus Chief, which gets its name from that village. Though within municipal boundaries, residents of these Indian Reserves are not governed by the municipality but are members of the Squamish Nation, which also includes villages in North Vancouver and a number of other reserves at Gibsons and elsewhere in the general region.
Activities
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Tourist attractions include the Stawamus Chief, a huge cliff-faced granite massif favoured by rock climbers. As well as over 300 climbing routes on the Chief proper, a majority of which require traditional climbing protection, there are also steep hiking trails around the back to access the three peaks that make up the massif, all giving great views of Howe Sound and the surrounding Coast Mountains. In all, between Shannon Falls, Murrin Park, The Malamute, and the Little Smoke Bluffs, there are well over 1200 rock climbing routes in the Squamish area, (and another 300 or so climbs north of Squamish on the road to Whistler). In recent years, Squamish has also become a major destination for bouldering, with over 1000 problems described in the local guidebook.
Another activity for which Squamish is well known is mountain biking, with over 600 trails suitable to all abilities surrounding the town. One of the more famous events supported by the Mountain Biking Community is the Test of Metal, a 67 km cross country mountain bike race held in late June every year. It is limited to 800 riders, and the 2007 race sold out in under an hour.
Other tourist attractions in Squamish include Shannon Falls waterfall; river-rafting on the Elaho and Squamish rivers; wind surfing and kite surfing at the mouth of the Squamish River; snowmobiling on nearby Brohm Ridge; and bald eagle viewing in the community of Brackendale, which has one of North America's largest populations of bald eagles. Squamish is also a popular destination among Greater Vancouver hikers, mountaineers and backcountry skiers, who visit the large provincial parks in the surrounding Coast Mountains.
Politics
The current mayor of Squamish is Greg Gardner who won a landslide victory over local celebrity and recycler Terrill Patterson in the election of 2008. Previous mayors include Ian Sutherland (2002-2008. Corinne Lonsdale (1993-2002), Egon Tobus (1990-1993), Phil Turner (1983-1990), William Elliott (1980-1983), Izzy Boscariol (1977-1980) and Pat Brennan (1964-1977). Current council members include Doug Race, Rob Kirkham, Corinne Lonsdale, Bryan Raiser, Paul Lalli and Patricia Heintzman. The municipality is also part of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.
On the provincial level, Squamish is in the West Vancouver—Sea to Sky electoral district. The MLA is Joan McIntyre (BC Liberal). She was first elected in the 2005 provincial election and re-elected in the 2009 provincial election.
Federally, Squamish is a part of the West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country electoral district. It is represented by John Weston (Conservative Party of Canada), who took office during Canada's 2008 federal election.
Education
Squamish has six elementary schools: Brackendale, Garibaldi Highlands, Mamquam, Squamish Elementary, Stawamus Elementary and Valleycliffe Elementary. There are two secondary schools — Howe Sound Secondary School and Don Ross Secondary School — as well as the board office for School District 48 Howe Sound.
Capilano University offers post-secondary education through its Squamish campus, including diploma programs and university transfer courses. Quest University Canada, opened in September 2007. It is Canada's first private, non-profit, secular university. Squamish Montessori School offers 3-6 year olds a full AMI based Montessori preschool education.
Cedar Valley School is an independent kindergarten and elementary school, certified by the BC government, offering a Waldorf-inspired curriculum.
Social and cultural
Squamish is home to a variety of faiths. There are eleven churches and religious organizations, including several Christian denominations, as well as the Bahá'í Faith, and a Sikh temple.
Squamish was the primary filming location of ABC's romantic comedy-drama television series Men In Trees and was featured prominently in a Season 4 episode of the American television series Supernatural titled "Wishful Thinking". It is also currently the filming location for Global TV's drama/action series The Guard.
In 1998, Squamish was briefly the home of the world's first unionized McDonald's franchise, although the union was decertified by the summer of 1999.
Climate
Squamish is one of the wettest locations in Canada, with nearly 2400mm of rainfall per year, often falling in long stretches through the winter. Snow is not typical in winter, but can fall in heavy amounts with 50cm accumulations not uncommon, although it often melts quickly.
 Weather averages for Squamish, British Columbia  |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11 (52) |
18.5 (65) |
22.5 (73) |
28 (82) |
37 (99) |
36 (97) |
37 (99) |
37.5 (100) |
36 (97) |
26.5 (80) |
15 (59) |
13.5 (56) |
37.5 (100) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 2.9 (37) |
6 (43) |
10.6 (51) |
14.6 (58) |
18.3 (65) |
20.9 (70) |
24 (75) |
24.5 (76) |
21 (70) |
13.8 (57) |
6.2 (43) |
2.2 (36) |
13.7 (57) |
| Average low °C (°F) | -2.5 (28) |
-1.5 (29) |
0.7 (33) |
3.4 (38) |
6.7 (44) |
9.4 (49) |
11.3 (52) |
11.2 (52) |
8.2 (47) |
4.4 (40) |
0.8 (33) |
-2.4 (28) |
4.1 (39) |
| Record low °C (°F) | -20.5 (-5) |
-16 (3) |
-9.5 (15) |
-3 (27) |
-2 (28) |
2.5 (37) |
5 (41) |
4 (39) |
0 (32) |
-7 (19) |
-18 (-0) |
-20.5 (-5) |
-20.5 (-5) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 337.4 (13.28) |
283 (11.14) |
211.4 (8.32) |
161.7 (6.37) |
105.8 (4.17) |
85.8 (3.38) |
61.1 (2.41) |
59.6 (2.35) |
88.2 (3.47) |
279.6 (11.01) |
378.9 (14.92) |
314.3 (12.37) |
2,366.9 (93.19) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 71.7 (28.2) |
47.6 (18.7) |
22.5 (8.9) |
2.5 (1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.6 (0.2) |
21.4 (8.4) |
69.1 (27.2) |
235.5 (92.7) |
| Source: Environment Canada [4] | |||||||||||||
Transit
Public transportation is provided by the Squamish Transit System. There is also bus service to Whistler provided by the Whistler and Valley Express.
Notable Squamish residents
Mike Carney, now a realtor, is a former ski racer who had been a member of the Canadian Olympic downhill ski team [1]
Mike Sweeney, who grew up in Squamish, competed in the 1984 Olympics with Team Canada in the sport of soccer.
Neal Kindree, World Cup mountain bike racer.[citation needed]
Linda Firbank: 2008 Recipient of the Premier's Award for Teaching Excellence in the category of Skills Training & Career Prep.[2]
Notes
- ^ Statistics Canada. Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, census metropolitan areas, census agglomerations and census subdivisions (municipalities), 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data Retrieved on: July 30, 2007.
- ^ Western Forest Products Western Forest Products Announces Q1 2006 Results/Strategic Acquisitions Closed. Press Release, May 12, 2006. retrieved on: July 30, 2007.
- ^ BCGNIS listing "Squamish"
- ^ Environment Canada. Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000. Squamish Upper. Retrieved on: September 7, 2008.
External links
- District of Squamish
- The Official Site of Tourism Squamish
- Business Development and Investment in Squamish
- School District No. 48 Howe Sound
- The Squamish Chief – Squamish's Newspaper
- Climbing in Squamish
- The Squamish Access Society - protecting public access to Squamish climbing areas
- Quest University Canada
- Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival - Squamish's Largest Community Festival
Surrounding municipalities
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Squamish River | Whistler | Garibaldi Provincial Park |
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| Tantalus Range |  |
Garibaldi Ranges | |||||
 Squamish  |
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| Howe Sound | Lions Bay | North Shore Mountains |
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Coordinates: 49°42′06.2″N 123°09′31.5″W / 49.701722°N 123.15875°W
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