Guide 2016
Your Guide to Sparwood What To Do - What To See - Where To Go
What’s Inside the Guide Welcome to Sparwood Sparwood at a Glance Calendar of Events History of Sparwood Mine Tours 5 Day Trips to Explore Camp Sparwood
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Coal Miner Days Sparwood Trails Fishing Spots Sparwood Chamber/ Sparwood Rec Centre What’s New in Sparwood Sparwood Map
The Free Press The Sparwood Guide is published once a year by: The Free Press, 342 2nd Ave, A Division of Black Press Box 2350, Fernie, BC, V0B 1M0 Phone: 250-423-4666 All content is Copyright 2015/16 and may not be reproduced without prior approval of the publisher.
Sales Representative: Sophie Howden Photography: Nicole Obré, Pat Allardyce, Free Press file photos Writer: Nicole Obré Publisher: Andrea Horton Front page photo by Nicole Obré
WE REPAIR ANYTHING THAT ROLLS,
!
Home of the Elk CRAWLS OR JUST SITS AND SWINGS. Valleys Most Experienced Mechanics Free pickup and delivery in the Elk Valley
PERSONAL AUTOMOTIVE, COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL REPAIR SERVICES
Sparwood 743 Douglas Fir Road 250-425-6535, Elkford 1 Front Street 250-865-4622 or Cranbrook 701 Industrial Road 1 250-426-7247
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Photo by Nicole Obré
Welcome to Sparwood On behalf of Council and the staff from the District of Sparwood I would like to welcome you to town. As the first community into British Columbia from the south east, and the middle of the Elk Valley we are proud to be the “Gateway” to B.C. from our neighbors to the east and the “Heart of the Elk Valley”. The first thing you will see is the Titan truck, the largest dump truck in the world. It brings to your attention the enormous affect mining has on this area. We are surrounded by five coal mines that provide high quality steal making coal to the world and good paying jobs for Sparwood residents. The mines enable Sparwood to provide the great infrastructure and amenities
we all enjoy and are happy to share with you. A wonderful campground, leisure center, world class fishing in our rivers and lakes, hunting, biking, hiking, a competitive 9 hole golf course, snowmobiling and skiing to mention a few. The Rockies are right outside our doors, “and we love it”. During the summer you can take a tour of a mine so you can experience the magnitude of their operation or simply explore the outdoors. Visit our tourist information center beside the Titan truck for more information. The people are friendly and it is truly a beautiful place to live, do business or visit. Stay, have a great time and come back soon. Cal McDougall
113 Red Cedar Dr Sparwood, BC - (250) 425-6489 Sparwood Guide Sparwood Guide - www.thefreepress.ca
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SPARWOOD Population: 3,615 Elevation: 1,140m Incorporated: 1966 Schools: Frank J Mitchell Elementary School (K-6) and Sparwood Secondary School (7-12) Mayor: Cal McDougall
Claim To Fame: The Big Green Truck Behind The Name: Tree’s selected for harvest in the area were used for spar’s on ships. A railway stop to collect the logs onto railway cars was known as Sparwood, before even a dream of the town was born.
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Primary Economy: Coal Extraction Forestry Who's Nearby: Elkford, BC a 30 minute drive north Fernie, BC a 20 minute drive west, Cranbrook, BC a 1.5 hr. drive west, Pincher Creek, AB a 1.0 hr. drive east, Lethbridge, AB a 2.0 hr. drive east and Calgary, AB 2.5 hr. drive northeast.
Calendar of Events November..................... December...................... February....................... March........................... April............................. May.............................. June............................. July............................... July/August.................. August.......................... September..................... October.........................
Remembrance Day Ceremony Arts & Heritage Council Craft Fair Christmas Tree Lighting in Centennial Square Community Christmas Party Sparwood Curling Club Sweetheart Bonspiel International Women’s Day Market Arts and Culture Week B.C. Mining Week Events Sparwood Chamber Golf Tournament Coal Miner Days Relay for Life Sparwood Secondary High School Commencement Canada Day Celebrations Farmer’s Market Sparwood Golf Club Championship Terry Fox Run Parkinson’s Walk Community Registration and Information Night Business Week Events Fire Prevention Week Events Sparwood Golf Club Iron Man Sparwood Curling Club Clinic
THE PRESCRIPTION Store Hours For What Ails You
Mon - Sat 9 am - 5:30 pm Sun & Stat 9 am - 1 pm
Free Home Delivery in Sparwood & Elkford Monday to Saturday
107 Centennial Sq, Sparwood ph 250-425-2015 fax 250-425-0294
Our pharmacy staff are able to compound prescriptions. • Wide variety of herbal and natural supplements and a variety of compression stockings and support wear. • New and changing seasonal and promotional items. Peoples Drug Mart has a loyalty program. We are proud of our knowledgeable staff. This location is easily accessible in Centennial Square
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History of Sparwood A town built by coal Prior to 1900, Sparwood was only a railroad stop - named for the trees being shipped from the area to the coast, which were used to manufacture spars for ocean vessels. During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the coal boom began, resulting in the creation of five small communities: Michel, Natal, Sparwood, a rural settlement northward along the Elk River Valley, and a small Canadian Pacific Rail settlement at the Alberta/B.C. border known as the Crowsnest. Throughout the years, the area experienced many ups and downs, highly dependant on its primary industry, coal mining. While the local coal mines were what kept the community going, they also had negative effects. By 1966, the Village of Natal and the settlement of Michel had become devastated by coal dust pollution. With help from the provincial and federal governments, the Village of Natal entered into an Urban Renewal and Land Assembly program, leading to the elimination of Natal and Michel and the expansion of Sparwood. Located far enough from the mines not to be affected by the coal dust,
Sparwood became a district municipality in 1966, taking in the communities of Michel, Natal, the Elk River Valley, and the Crowsnest. Sparwood’s mining history is illustrated in murals that adorn the slab concrete sides of buildings, as well as antique mining equipment placed in key locations in the downtown core. Today, Sparwood continues to thrive with a population of approximately 3,600 residents, most of whom still rely heavily on the five area coal mines.
New Patients Welcome
Dr. A.M. Kahane
Health. Beauty. Happiness. Confidence Dr. Karl Peach
Sparwood Heritage Museum Open Monday – Thursday 11am – 3pm 120 Spruce Ave.
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Providing Orthodontics 292 – 2nd Ave, Fernie, BC, V0B 1M0 dentist@kahane.ca www.kahane.ca
Mine Tours Discover Sparwood’s Elkview Mine Here in Sparwood, we live and breathe coal. Coal mining is truly the foundation of our town, with the majority of residents employed directly by the mines, or indirectly by a service company that works on mining equipment. It’s without a doubt the largest industry in the Elk Valley. Operating since 1898, Elkview is the oldest coal mine in B.C. Originally opened as an underground mine, it is now an open pit mine, producing over four million tonnes of steelmaking coal every year. Hosted by Teck and the Sparwood Chamber of Commerce, tours run every summer and give visitors and locals a
real behind the scenes look at the daily operations of a mine. The guided bus tour takes you right onto the mining grounds, with a chance to see the central warehouse, welding and repair shops, sediment ponds, and plenty of gigantic machinery at work. There are also plenty of chances to see haul trucks, graders, and water trucks as they go about their daily jobs. As you watch them at work down in the pit, shovels with a whopping bucket capacity of 43 cubic metres look just like toys in a sandbox. Tours take place at 1 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the months of July and August.
Steelmaking Coal Builds Communities Teck is the largest producer of steelmaking coal in North America, with five operations in the Elk Valley. Every tonne of steel requires about 700 kilograms of steelmaking coal to create, making steelmaking coal a critical resource for a modern society. For a mine tour, contact Sparwood Chamber of Commerce at 250.425.2423.
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5 Day Trips to Explore
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Grave Lake
A true local hangout, Grave Lake is hugely popular with residents of both Sparwood and Elkford. Featuring cool, clear water and a beautiful mountain view, this family friendly spot is one we’re happy to share with visitors. Take a dip, bring the canoe, or enjoy a relaxing float on the peaceful lake. Bring along your rod if you’re into fishing, or lace up your hiking boots and explore the surrounding wilderness. And if you feel like staying the night, the campground offers serviced sites for tents and RVs.
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Fernie Alpine Resort
Just 25 minutes down Highway 3 is one of the most popular destinations on the Powder Highway; Fernie Alpine Resort. With 37 feet of annual snow, stunning scenery, five huge alpine bowls, and endless downhill thigh burning runs, it’s paradise for skiers and boarders alike. And it doesn’t have to be winter to enjoy the mountain. The resort is open in the summer for mountain biking, hiking, scenic chair lift rides, ziplining, and adventuring in the aerial tree park.
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Frank Slide
Take a drive through the scenic Crowsnest Pass and find yourself at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre. Experience what it was like to live in the coal mining town of Frank before, during, and after the infamous Frank Rockslide of 1903 - Canada’s deadliest rockslide. Learn why Turtle Mountain fell and if another rockslide may happen in the future. Two award winning audio-visual presentations are shown throughout the day in the Centre’s theatre and a 1.5 kilometre trail winds through the rocks of the Slide, giving visitors a chance to get up close and personal with the power of nature.
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Downtown Fernie
Although most famous for its ski resort, downtown Fernie is certainly a stop worth making. After the Great Fire of 1908, the town was rebuilt from locally produced golden and rose coloured brick, as well as sandstone. Many of these buildings remain today, giving the town its unique and historic charm. Centred around Second Avenue, Fernie offers boutique shopping, dining, and activities for the whole family to enjoy. Whether you spend a summer day soaking in the sun on a patio, or bundle up on a winter evening for a snowy stroll, a day in this vibrant community is one well spent.
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Hosmer Ruins The first town to be settled in the area, back in 1906, Hosmer is located halfway between Sparwood and Fernie. Hosmer enjoyed a brief rise to fame when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) established a coal mining site there in 1908, including over 200 massive beehive coke ovens. Sadly, it was a bustling and busy town for less than two decades before CPR shut down the mine. Today, most of the old town is gone, but nestled in the nearby mountainside, deep in the brush, lie the magnificent and ghostly ruins of the mine site. Head into the trails, located just off the highway, and explore the eerie but beautiful ruins of Hosmer. Original mining buildings, an overgrown cemetery, and 46 of the remaining coke ovens are an amazing site to see tucked into the woods. Photos by Nicole ObrĂŠ
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Camp Sparwood Mountain Shadows Forested Paradise Nestled in the forest just off Highway 3 is Mountain Shadows Campground. The cozy spot boasts 63 serviced sites with all the amenities you could ask for; including water, power, firewood, hot showers, hiking trails, free wi-fi, and handicapped access. The kids will have a blast on the playground and the adults will love direct access to the neighbouring golf course. Located just minutes from town, Mountains Shadows books up every summer, so make sure to reserve your spot in this forested paradise. For reservations and more information, call 250-425-7815.
AIN SHADO NT
WS.ca
MOU
Full service tent/RV site in Sparwood, BC 606 Sparwood Drive - East side of Hwy 3 near Kal Tire stay@mountainshadows.ca 250-425-7815 www.mountainshadows.ca
Campground
Come visit us nestled in the embrace of the Rocky Mountains and create memories to last a lifetime . 10 www.thefreepress.ca - Sparwood Guide
Photo by Nicole ObrĂŠ
Coal Miner Days Family Fun with a Variety of Events If you happen to be visiting Sparwood in the month of June, you’re in for a special treat. Every year, the whole community comes together to celebrate its coal mining heritage with a weekend long festival. Coal Miner Days is held annually during the second weekend of June and you don’t want to miss it! Centred around family fun, Coal Miner Days offers a variety of events and activities for all ages. The festival kicks off with breathtaking fireworks Friday night, features a parade Saturday morning, and wraps up with a children’s duathlon on Sunday. There’s a cabaret and poker tournament for the adults, bouncy castles and facepainting for the
kids, and bocce and golf tournaments for everyone. Of course there’s no shortage of food. The Lions Club hosts a pancake breakfast, Teck Coal fires up one heck of a barbeque, and food trucks and vendors are set up at the Rec Centre all weekend long. And if you’re over 19, stop in to the refreshment gardens for some cold drinks. The festival is also important for raising funds for local organizations such as the Sparwood Food Bank, Search and Rescue, and the new Sparwood Skate Park. For more information and this year’s schedule, visit www.coalminerdays. com.
Sparwood Dental Clinic We can help you with all your dental needs. TAKE THIS TEST: Do you have... Yellow Teeth? Sensitive Teeth? Crooked Teeth? Broken Teeth? Bad Breath? Unwanted Space? Fear of Dentistry? Call: 250-425-7081 Toll Free 1-877-325-7081 New Patients Welcome 139 Centennial Square, Spawood www.sparwooddental.com
CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY! 110 Pine Ave, Sparwood www.sparwood.bclibrary.ca (250) 425-2299
We are more than books WiFi Internet Copier Scanner Fax and much more! Sparwood Guide - www.thefreepress.ca
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Sparwood Trails Getting outside and enjoying nature is not hard with the many trail systems Sparwood has to offer. Whether you like to walk, run or bike these trails offer views second to none.
• Cypress Park Loop – A peaceful walk through parks and glades. • Pine Forest – Walk the woodchip trail on this half forested, half sidewalk route. • Historical Tour – A trip through time featuring historical mining displays in downtown Sparwood. • Central Park Loop – This sidewalk and park loop is paved and all within residential Sparwood Heights. • Michel Trail – A beautiful forested trail walk in the Michel Creek Valley, returning along Pine Avenue sidewalk. • Deer Run – A flat loop in the quiet solitude of the Sparwood Cross Country Ski area. • Ponderosa – A popular roadside walk with the option of taking the
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woodchip trail through the secluded forest of Sparwood Heights. View Trail – A longer walk with a bit of elevation and an excellent view of the Elk Valley. Lower Sparwood Perimeter – Enjoy a social walk around the perimeter on the friendly streets of lower Sparwood. Mountain Shadows Trail – One of Sparwood’s real gems, this well established trail winds through the woods around the Golf Course. Sparwood Heights Perimeter – A challenging route crossing the Elk River twice and touring the trails of Sparwood Heights. Sparwood Classic – Almost entirely on wooded trails, this route is considered by some to be one of the best running routes in the Elk Valley. Photo by Nicole Obré
Fishing Spots For Experienced and Freshmen
The Elk Valley is famous for more than just snow. Once summertime hits, locals and visitors flock to the area for worldclass fishing. Whether you’ve travelled to the valley an experienced angler, or you’re looking to cast a line REASONABLE RATES IN CLEAN AND COMFORTABLE ROOMS • Best burger in Sparwood • Try our famous seafood chowder • New entrée menu • Massage facilities (info at front desk)
Full banquet and meeting facilities also available
102 Red Cedar Drive, Sparwood • 250 425 2003 Photo by Pat Allardyce
for the first time, there are plenty of places to try. Cast from the bank of peaceful Michel Creek, or drift in a boat down the Elk River - both offer a bounty of cutthroat trout, whitefish, and bull trout. The Elk River is well known for dry fly fishing. With large, easy to see flies in the area, it allows an amazing visual experience for both the experienced angler and the fishing freshmen. There are also several pedestrian accessible bridges right in town that offer an easy and relaxed fishing atmosphere. Visit nearby Grave Lake and enjoy the clear and pristine mountain waters that are home to kokanee and rainbow trout. Or head to Summit Lake for a chance to catch Gerrard rainbow trout - the largest trout species in the world! Whatever your destination may be, don’t forget to get your provincial fishing license, as well as a classified waters license specific to the Kootenays. They can both be purchased online at www. fishing.gov.bc.ca. For details on fishing regulations in the area, visit www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/ fish.regulations. ELK VALLEY THRIFT SHOP SOCIETY
Thrifting at its finest! Donate your gently used items and help your community! Volunteers welcome 250-425-0853 127 Town Centre Sparwood, BC
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday: 10am - 4pm Saturday: 10am - 2pm Sunday: Closed
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Sparwood Chamber The Sparwood Chamber of Commerce is an important link between visitors, residents, and local businesses. Working together with its members, the Chamber is all about connections. Whether it’s guiding tourists towards exciting events and attractions, helping a visitor pick a hotel or restaurant, introducing a new resident to the community, or helping small and large businesses market themselves, the Chamber does a little bit of everything. The Sparwood Chamber’s goal is to sustain existing business, enhance business opportunities and improve the economic, social, ecological, and cultural well-being of the community through demonstrated leadership in the
promotion of economic development and diversification and support for community events. The Sparwood Chamber of Commerce works out of the Sparwood Visitor Centre located at 141 Aspen Drive. Their friendly staff are always happy to give suggestions on all that Sparwood has to offer. They also have brochures and information on just about everything there is to do in town, including mine tours, world class fly fishing on the Elk River, Grave Lake, and a full range of community recreational amenities. Stop into the Visitor Centre for more information, or contact the Chamber of Commerce at 250-425-2423.
Sparwood Rec Centre
Home of the Sparwood Titan Please stop at our visitor center for souvenirs, clothing and info on Sparwood and the Elk Valley
141 Aspen Drive ~ 250-425-2423
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Fall, winter, spring, or summer, the Sparwood Recreation Centre is a bustling centre of activity. Head inside on a rainy day and enjoy a dip in the pool or a soak in the whirlpool hottub. Check out the gym, climbing wall, raquet ball, squash, and wallyball courts. Stop into the arena next door for hockey, skating, and curling. When the sun is shining, take advantage of the outdoor fun found just outside the Rec Centre: tennis courts, horseshoe pits, a bike jump park, plus a play and water spray park to keep the kids cool and happy. The Sparwood Recreation Department also offers an endless variety of classes throughout the year. For a full list of programs offered and an up-to-date schedule, visit www.sparwood.ca/recreation.
What’s New in Sparwood From doughnuts to skate parks and new development Tim Hortons: Get your double double in Sparwood! It’s been a long time coming, but Tim Horton’s is officially coming to Sparwood. Set to open November 2015, the Canadian doughnut giant is something locals are eager to embrace. The restaurant is located on the corner of Highway 3 and 43, ready to serve up timbits to people driving through from Elkford, Fernie, Alberta, and of course, Sparwood residents and visitors. The franchise will be open 24 hours a day, so you can get your doughnut craving whenever it hits.
Skate Park:
A brand new skate park is in the works for Sparwood. The District of Sparwood is in the process of building a community concrete skate park, with plenty of help from the Sparwood Futures Society. Whether you prefer a skateboard, BMX bike, scooter, or rollerblades, the proposed new park will have plenty of ramps, jumps, and places to turn tricks for all! The park will replace the aging
wood and metal frame one located in an old tennis court on the Leisure Centre grounds. The updated park is set to be built in the northeast corner of the Arena and Leisure Centre parking lot, between the ball diamond and Pine Avenue.
Middletown Crossing:
One of Sparwood’s most exciting new developments is Middletown Crossing. Still a work in progress, Middletown Crossing is a large mixed use development located directly across from the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 43. Once complete, it will be home to the facilities of industrial supplier Joy Global, mining company Teck Coal, and hotel and real estate developer Schickedanz Properties. Middletown also contains several parcels of property slated for future commercial and industrial development. The name of this ongoing project honours the history of Middletown, one of the earliest setttlements in the area. It also references Sparwood’s geographical location in the middle of this coal mining region. Sparwood Guide - www.thefreepress.ca 15
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