Trail, British Columbia
Encyclopedia
Trail is a city in the West Kootenay
West Kootenay
West Kootenay was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was formed along with East Kootenay from a redistribution of the old Kootenay riding, which was one of the province's original twelve.- Demographics :...
region of the Interior
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...
.
Geography
Trail has an area of 34.78 square kilometres (13.4 sq mi). The city is located on both banks of the Columbia RiverColumbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
, approximately 10 km north of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
border. This section of the Columbia River valley is located between the Monashee Mountains
Monashee Mountains
The Monashee Mountains are a mountain range mostly in British Columbia, Canada, extending into the U.S. state of Washington. They stretch from north to south and from east to west. They are a subrange of the Columbia Mountains...
to the west and the Selkirk Mountains
Selkirk Mountains
The Selkirk Mountains are a mountain range spanning the northern portion of the Idaho Panhandle, eastern Washington, and southeastern British Columbia. They begin at Mica Peak near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and extend approximately 320 km north from the border. The range is bounded on its west,...
to the east. The Columbia flows directly north-south from Castlegar
Castlegar, British Columbia
Castlegar is the second largest city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada. It is located within the Selkirk Mountains at the confluence of the Kootenay and Columbia Rivers. It is a regional trade and transportation centre, with a local economy fueled by forestry, mining and tourism...
, turns east near downtown Trail, and then meets the Canada–United States border at Waneta and the Pend d'Oreille River
Pend Oreille River
The Pend Oreille River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and northeastern Washington in the United States, as well as southeastern British Columbia in Canada. In its passage through British Columbia its name is spelled Pend-d'Oreille River...
.
Inversion (meteorology)
In meteorology, an inversion is a deviation from the normal change of an atmospheric property with altitude. It almost always refers to a temperature inversion, i.e...
lingers above the relatively warm river surface. Winters are mild to cold with periods of moderate snowfall. Nearby villages such as Warfield
Warfield, British Columbia
Warfield is a village located in southern British Columbia in the West Kootenay region. It is located at the west end of Trail at the bottom of the Rossland hill.-References:...
and Fruitvale
Fruitvale, British Columbia
Fruitvale is a village located in south-eastern British Columbia in the West Kootenay region.It is located 16 km east of the city of Trail along Highway 3B.-Geography:...
often receive greater amounts of snow due to higher elevation.
The Monashee Mountains are the first major mountain range east the Coastal Mountains to intercept moisture laden westerly flow from the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. As a result, areas west of Trail, including the Christina Range, Rossland Range, the city of Rossland
Rossland, British Columbia
Rossland is a city in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia.Tucked high in the Monashee Mountains, Rossland is at an elevation of 1023 metres . Population today is approximately 3500; a number that fluctuates from season to season. The population is at its peak during the winter...
, and the Blueberry-Paulson section of the Crowsnest Highway
Crowsnest Highway
The Crowsnest Highway, also known as the Interprovincial or, in British Columbia, the Southern Trans-Provincial, is an east-west highway, in length, through the southern parts of British Columbia and Alberta, providing the shortest highway connection between British Columbia's Lower Mainland and...
(Highway 3) receive greater amounts of winter precipitation, mostly in the form of heavy snow. Vegetation in the Trail area, although fairly lush, is noticeably drier than other areas with a more westerly aspect.
Demographics
According to Statistics CanadaStatistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
, Trail's population was 7,320 during the Canada 2001 Census
Canada 2001 Census
The Canada 2001 Census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population. Census day was May 15, 2001. On that day, Statistics Canada attempted to count every person in Canada. The total population count of Canada was 30,007,094. This was a 4% increase over 1996 Census of 28,846,761. In...
.
The city is also noted for its large Italian community. There are 1,385 people in Trail with Italian ancestry (18.9%).
- CaucasianCaucasian raceThe term Caucasian race has been used to denote the general physical type of some or all of the populations of Europe, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, Western Asia , Central Asia and South Asia...
: 91% - AboriginalAboriginal peoples in CanadaAboriginal peoples in Canada comprise the First Nations, Inuit and Métis. The descriptors "Indian" and "Eskimo" have fallen into disuse in Canada and are commonly considered pejorative....
: 4% (290 people)
Visible minorities
- ChineseHan ChineseHan 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...
: 2% (120 people) - South AsianEthnic groups of South AsiaThe ethno-linguistic composition of the population of South Asia, that is the nations of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka is highly diverse. The majority of the population fall within two large Linguistic groups, Indo-Aryan and Dravidian.These groups are further...
: 1.2% (100 people) - Black: 1.8% (155 people)
Education and employment
Trail is the location of the head office of the Kootenay Boundary Regional District, which is one of the city's employers.Trail is part of School District 20 Kootenay-Columbia
School District 20 Kootenay-Columbia
School District 20 Kootenay-Columbia is a school district in southeastern British Columbia. It includes Trail, Castlegar and Rossland.-History:...
and schools in the town include:
- Glenmerry Elementary School
- J. Lloyd Crowe Secondary SchoolJ. Lloyd Crowe Secondary SchoolJ Lloyd Crowe Secondary is a public high school in Trail, British Columbia part of School District 20 Kootenay-Columbia....
- James L Webster Elementary School
- Junior Alternate Program
- Kootenay-Columbia Learning Centre
School district
The school district in the Greater Trail area is focused on improving the district and schools and has a focused, well organized improvement plans in place. The strategies selected to achieve the goals are a blend of research, best practice, and innovative thinking. The district has implemented numerous strategies to support schools in improving student learning. Most schools have comprehensive, innovative and research-based strategies to meet the goals.In 2007, the J. Lloyd Crowe Secondary School Replacement program started the construction of a new facility in Trail to replace the existing school that was built in the late 1950s. The new facility opened in September 2009.
Education
Trail’s statistics differ sharply from that of the province in the percentage of the population aged 45–64 with a trades certificate or diploma: Trail—26%, compared to BC—14%. This is directly attributable to Teck ComincoTeck Cominco
Teck Resources Limited known as Teck Cominco until late 2008, is a Canadian mining company. It was formed from the amalgamation of Teck and Cominco in 2001.-History:...
and the diversified mining and metals company's presence in the area. The percentage of this age group with a university level education is also very different: Trail—12%, compared to BC—22%. The general picture is a working population heavily geared to the trades and historically very reliant on Teck Cominco for employment.
Economic situation
Employing approximately 1,800 people, Teck Cominco is the region’s largest employer. The average age of an employee at Cominco’s Trail operation is 47. It is anticipated that within 15 years Cominco’s Trail operation will have a completely new and different labour force. A younger and perhaps more technical labour force will most likely replace those that are retiring. The big picture for the area is one of an aging population which brings about ongoing employment opportunities in the area. This is evidence based on the improved housing sales in the years between 2005 to 2007, making the Greater Trail area a target destination for people looking for better quality of life in a smaller community setting.The City of Trail is also home to the largest hospital in the West Kootenay
West Kootenay
West Kootenay was a provincial electoral district in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It was formed along with East Kootenay from a redistribution of the old Kootenay riding, which was one of the province's original twelve.- Demographics :...
region.
Trail Memorial Centre & Sports Hall of Memories
The Trail Memorial Centre currently plays host to the Trail & District Public Library, the Trail Smoke EatersTrail Smoke Eaters (senior)
The Trail Smoke Eaters were a senior level men's ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia that played from 1926 to 1987. They are recognized as being one of the best senior hockey teams in Canadian history...
hockey team, the Trail Museum, and the Sports Hall of Memories, in addition to many local sports facilities. This historic landmark, located at 1051 Victoria Street, was home to two world championship Smoke Eaters teams.
River Activities and Music in the Park at Gyro Park in Trail
Located at 1090 Charles Lakes Drive in East Trail on the route to Sunningdale, Gyro Park is the home to Music in the Park during the summer. Listen to the melodic tunes under the gazebo in Gyro Park, where visitors enjoy live music Thursdays in July and August. During long hot summer days, Gyro Park is extremely popular with locals and visitors to the area who enjoy a day at the beach.
Teck Cominco Interpretive Centre
Trail is home to the largest non-ferrous leadLead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
and zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
smelter
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
in the world and visitors can learn more about the areas largest employer by taking the 2.5 hour industrial tour of the Cominco smelter which can be arranged in the Teck Cominco interpretive centre through the Trail & District Chamber of Commerce office located above the Toronto-Dominion Bank
Toronto-Dominion Bank
The Toronto-Dominion Bank , is the second-largest bank in Canada by market capitalization and based on assets. It is also the sixth largest bank in North America. Commonly known as TD and operating as TD Bank Group, the bank was created in 1955 through the merger of the Bank of Toronto and the...
, in the heart of downtown Trail. This centre is the starting point for the free tours beginning at 10 am, Monday to Friday during the summer; by appointment from September to May. Learn about the plants' operations in the mini-science centre featuring hands-on exhibits for the whole family.
View video presentations and displays which exhibit sophisticated environmental monitoring systems installed in the Trail area by Teck Cominco. Other presentations illustrate the history of Cominco's Trail smelting operations and provide information on career opportunities in the industry.
The Historic Gulch
In the early 1900s a large influx of ItalianItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
immigrants lent a distinctive character to "The Gulch" which is located at the entrance to Trail accessed by the Schofield Highway which drops down the long grade down from the city of Rossland and the village of Warfield and sub-division of Annabel onto Rossland Avenue.
In the early pioneer days, industrious Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
launderers and cooks spent time gardening in the defile
Defile (geography)
Defile is a geographic term for a narrow pass or gorge between mountains or hills. It has its origins as a military description of a pass through which troops can march only in a narrow column or with a narrow front...
of the Gulch and few of these immigrants ever acquired rights to own land in the Gulch and these gardens were gradually displaced by Italian and other Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an working families who terraced their properties into level plots. Despite the steep terrain, these immigrant families planted vegetable gardens reminiscent of the old country, fed by plenty of water from Trail Creek and the hot summer sun.
The Gulch is home to shops and the Terra Nova hotel, located at the entrance to Trail’s central business district at the foot of Rossland Avenue.
Famous natives and Home of Champions
In 1995, Kootenay Savings Credit Union
Kootenay Savings Credit Union
Kootenay Savings Credit Union, located in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, is the twenty-ninth largest credit union in Canada with over 40,000 members and assets of $796 million....
was seeking a project that would represent their commitment and appreciation to the Greater Trail community. The Credit Union decided to sponsor the construction of a monument which was constructed in the summer of 1996 outside their offices in Trail's downtown that would honour the "Champions" of the Greater Trail area in Sports, Industry and Lifestyle.
A society was formed to establish criteria for selection of the persons to be honoured on the monument. The monument was constructed in the summer of 1996 and forty-three champions were selected to be honoured at the inaugural dedication ceremony which took place on September 28, 1996. To date, eighty-nine individuals and organizations have been honoured with a place on the Home of Champions monument.
The Home of Champions monument project is an ongoing one, managed by the City of Trail. Additional persons will be honoured regularly for their special contribution to the social, cultural, economic and educational fabric of the community.
Notable people from the Greater Trail area
- Shawn HorcoffShawn HorcoffShawn Horcoff is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League . He was selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft, 99th overall, by the Oilers, the team with which he has spent his entire NHL career...
, current NHL player and captain of the Edmonton Oilers. - Thomas d'AquinoThomas d'AquinoThomas d'Aquino is a lawyer, entrepreneur, corporate director, educator and author. He is the former chief executive and president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives , an organization composed of 150 leading corporate chief executives and entrepreneurs...
, Chief executive and president of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives CCCE, and one of the private-sector architects of the North American Free Trade AgreementNorth American Free Trade AgreementThe North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement... - Jason BayJason BayJason Raymond Bay is a Canadian professional baseball player. An outfielder, he currently plays for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball...
, current MLB player for the New York Mets - Lauren BayLauren BayLauren Bay Regula is a Canadian former All-American left-handed softball pitcher. She began playing softball at age 12, and graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2004 and holds several all-time OSU records...
, Canadian National Softball Team and National Pro Fastpitch pitcher - Adam DeadmarshAdam DeadmarshAdam Deadmarsh is a former Canadian-American professional ice hockey player who played in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche and the Los Angeles Kings. He is currently an Assistant Coach to Joe Sacco for the Avalanche...
, former NHL player, won Stanley cup in 1996 with the Colorado Avalanche - Dallas DrakeDallas DrakeDallas James Drake is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey winger in the National Hockey League who last played for the Detroit Red Wings. Previously, Drake played for the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, and St. Louis Blues...
, former NHL player, won Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 2008 with the Red Wings - Ray FerraroRay FerraroRaymond Ferraro is a retired professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers , New York Islanders , New York Rangers , Los Angeles Kings , Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues...
, former NHL player for the Islanders, Rangers, Whalers, Thrashers, Kings, Blues - Bruno FreschiBruno FreschiBruno Freschi is a Canadian architect best known for his role as chief architect for Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was born in Trail, BC on April 18, 1937. He studied architecture at the University of British Columbia where he received Canada's top architecture student award...
, architect for Expo 86 - Ken GeorgettiKen GeorgettiKenneth V. Georgetti, CM, OBC is a Canadian labour union leader. He was elected president of the Canadian Labour Congress in May 1999.-Trade Union career:...
, current President of the Canadian Labour Congress - Robert Hampton GrayRobert Hampton GrayRobert Hampton "Hammy" Gray VC, DSC was a Canadian naval officer, pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War II, one of only two members of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to have been thus decorated in that war.Gray was born in Trail, British Columbia, Canada, but resided in...
, one of the last Canadians to die in WWII and the last Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross - Tom Harrison, former MLB pitcher for the Kansas City A's, now the Oakland Athletics
- Barret JackmanBarret JackmanBarret Jackman is a Canadian ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:Jackman was selected by the St...
, current NHL player for the St. Louis Blues - Mike Kobluk, of The Chad Mitchell Trio
- Richard KrommRichard KrommRichard Gordon "Rich" Kromm was a Canadian American ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames and the New York Islanders....
, former NHL player - Kerrin Lee-GartnerKerrin Lee-GartnerKerrin Lee-Gartner is a former alpine ski racer. She was born in Trail, British Columbia, Canada.Lee-Gartner started skiing for the Canadian Women's Ski Team in 1982, but suffered a number of knee operations over the years including two complete reconstructions...
, Canadian Olympic Women's Ski Team, Downhill Olympic Gold Medal 1992 - Cesare ManiagoCesare ManiagoCesare "Hail Cesare" Maniago is a retired National Hockey League goaltender, most notably for the Minnesota North Stars, for whom he remains the 2nd all-time leader in games played in goal.- Playing history :...
, former NHL player for the Leafs, Canadiens, Rangers, North Stars, Canucks - Mike MatteucciMike MatteucciMichael Matteucci is a retired former professional ice hockey defenceman.Matteucci played four seasons of collegiate hockey at Lake Superior State University from 1992–93 to 1995–96, and was a member of the Lakers' championship team in 1994.Undrafted after college, Matteucci played for the Long...
, former NHL player for the Wild - Steve McCarthySteve McCarthySteve McCarthy is a professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the ZSC Lions of National League A.-Playing career:...
, current NHL player for the Blackhawks, Canucks, Thrashers - Bill McEwanBill McEwanWilliam G. "Bill" McEwan is President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of Sobeys Inc., the second largest Canadian grocery retailer and food distributor....
, President and CEO of Sobeys - Faron MollerFaron MollerFaron George Moller is a Canadian-born British computer scientist and expert on theoretical computer science, particularly infinite-state automata theory and temporal logic...
, President of the BCTCS - Martin PopoffMartin PopoffMartin Popoff is a Canadian-born music journalist and critic who covers the genre of heavy metal music. The senior editor and co-founder of Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles magazine, he has additionally written over twenty books that both critically evaluate heavy metal and document its history...
, heavy metal music journalist - Steve TambelliniSteve TambelliniSteven Anthony Tambellini is a former NHL player and is currently the general manager for the Edmonton Oilers hockey franchise in Edmonton, Alberta.-Playing career:...
, former NHL player & current GM of the Edmonton Oilers
Trail smelter arbitration
In 1927, a smelter in Trail was polluting, via smoke deposition, to farmlands south of the border in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The US initially agreed to bring the issue before the International Joint Commission
International Joint Commission
The International Joint Commission is an independent binational organization established by the United States and Canada under the Boundary Waters Treaty of 1909.The Commission has responsibilities related to the following treaties and agreements:...
. A 1931 report the IJC recommended Canada compensate the United States for a sum of $350,000 to the farmers, the US rejected the offer. In 1935 the two countries agreed to arbitration, in which Canada again offered to compensate the US $350,000 for all damages caused before 1932. In April 1938, after extensive expert assessments, the tribunal acknowledged that the smelter had caused damage after 1932. Then in 1941, it held that "no State has the right to use or permit the use of its territory in such a manner as to cause injury by fumes in or to the territory of another or the properties or persons therein, when the case is of serious consequence and the injury is establish by clear and convincing evidence." This case, known commonly as the "Trail smelter arbitration", is a landmark in environmental law, as it helped to establish the "polluter pays" principle for transnational pollution issues.
Manhattan Project
As part of its contribution to the Manhattan ProjectManhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
, Canada built and operated a 6 T/a electrolytic heavy water
Heavy water
Heavy water is water highly enriched in the hydrogen isotope deuterium; e.g., heavy water used in CANDU reactors is 99.75% enriched by hydrogen atom-fraction...
plant at Trail, which started operation in 1943.