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Kelowna, British ColumbiaKelowna (2001 population 96,288, metropolitan population 147,739) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. It is the seat of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. First settled by missionaries in 1859, Kelowna was officially incorporated in 1905. Neighbouring towns include Westbank to the west, Peachland to the southwest, Vernon to the north and Penticton south of Peachland. Travel by car from Vancouver is expedited by going through the towns of Abbotsford, Hope, and Merritt, a trip of approximately 425 km. Kelowna is connected to Westbank by a floating bridge and links highway 97 south. The floating bridge is slated for replacement as it has outlived its usefulness and is incapable of supporting the current traffic levels. A new bridge will be built in the near future. The service industry employs the most people in Kelowna, the largest city in the tourist-oriented Okanagan Valley. In summer, boating is popular and in winter, Alpine skiing at the nearby Big White Ski Resort. Kelowna has an International Airport, with regular flights to and from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, and Seattle. Kelowna is well known for producing many varieties of fine wines. You will find this region is full of wonderful vineyards. The most captivating is the Mission Hill winery which sits atop a hill overlooking the lake. Kelowna was home to the late Premier of British Columbia, W.A.C. Bennett and the birthplace of his son, William R. Bennett, who would also become Premier of the province. Major League Baseball player, Jeff Zimmerman of the Texas Rangers was born here. The city is also home to The Grapes of Wrath, one of Canada's most popular rock bands in the 1980s and early 1990s. Education Rutland Senior School
Kelowna Secondary
Mount Boucherie Secondary
UBC Okanagan Sports Teams Events of Significance - In August 2003, a nearby wildfire destroyed over 200 homes and forced the temporary evacuation of approximately 30,000 residents.
- During the 2003 fire, many trestles of the historic Kettle Valley Railway were destroyed. One of the trestles, Trestle 18, has been rebuilt, and other trestles are planned to be reconstructed as well.
Irrelevancy - In the Sci-Fi seriens Stargate SG-1, Jonas Quinn comes from another planet, from a nation named Kelowna. Later in the series, the country amalgamates with two others to form the Langara Federation.
External links - http://www.city.kelowna.bc.ca/
- http://www.kelownabc.com/
- http://www.welcometokelowna.com/
- http://www.castanet.net/ - Local news
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