Opening November ‘09/Courtesy Fernie Ski Resort

This is what we live for on the west coast of Canada – the arrival of snow on our spectacular mountains!  From the Kootenay Rockies – Fernie and Panorama, to the backyard of Vancouver at Cypress, Grouse and Seymour Mountains.  It’s all here for the novice to extreme skiers and boarders.   Passionate snow seekers dream of the white stuff falling as soon as summer ends… praying to the snow Gods for snow from November till late spring. And fall it has, so much so that most of the province’s ski resorts  opened this past weekend.

One of the province’s all time favourites is Sun Peaks Resort located 45 minutes outside of Kamloops.  It’s a family-friendly setting boasting accommodations, dining and outstanding skiing and outdoor adventure tailored for kids of all ages.

Bet You Didn’t Know

Family Ski at Sun Peaks Resort - Courtesy Adam Stein

Boasting 3,678 acres on three mountains including Tod, Sundance and Mt. Morrisey, Sun Peaks Resort offers 117 runs with every chairlift providing access to blue, green and black diamond runs. Uplift with your family and friends, then split up and choose a trail that suits your ability level.  Most trails lead right to the village, so it’s super easy to hook up with everyone throughout the day.

The Resort delivers some neat features including  “The Kids Ranch” -  an animated theme park with dedicated terrain for kids 3-12 years old.  For your teenagers there’s  great skiing, snow boarding, and the coolest hit …snow-biking.

If you don’t have all the gear for your winter getaway, don’t worry.  Guest Services Staff are super supportive and knowledgeable ensuring you are on the slopes in what seems to be

Nancy Greene Raine - Courtesy Sun Peaks Resort/Paul Morrison

simply a matter of minutes.  And yes, the ever hospitable Nancy Greene, BC’s own Olympic Gold Medalist calls Sun Peaks Resort home.  She skis with resort guests twice daily depending on her travel schedule, so be sure to ask if she’s in town during your visit.

Stay at the ‘mountain chic’ Delta Sun Peaks and experience their special brand of hospitality. From check-in to the ever popular kid-friendly menus (grilled cheese and hot dogs with hot chocolate!), and après-ski spa treatments for mom and dad, this is a resort hotel the entire family will enjoy.  Check out more accommodation listings on the Sun Peaks web site. There are numerous condos and chalets that welcome families with kids of all ages. Visit www.sunpeaksresort.com, or call toll free at 1.800.807.3257

With a title like that, people assume an abundance of outdoor and indoor recreational opportunities await.

And it’s true.

The city’s vast, rugged landscape provides the perfect setting for those looking to explore by going hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing.

Plus, world-class venues host teams from all over the world, making the vibrancy of the city readily apparent.

In this valuable resource we call the Kamloops Vacation Guide 2008, you’ll find exciting and unique-to-Kamloops ways to discover the area.

With more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, you’ll want to get outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather – and you don’t need to be a high-calibre athlete to do so.

Fast-paced and thrilling adventure exists for those with a desire to burn some energy. Explore the endless network of single-track trails on a mountain bike or plunge down the rapids while whitewater rafting.

Slow things down by hiking in the sagebrush-dotted hills, golfing on any of the 13 championship courses or a refreshing visit to one of the numerous city pools.

For more of a leisurely paced adventure, check out the downtown core. With its cobblestone sidewalks, restored heritage buildings and grand shade trees, the downtown offers an exciting ambiance for all.

The streets are lined with sidewalk cafes and eclectic restaurants and events are plentiful.

Take in the Farmers’ Market, the Hot Nite in the City car show, Music in the Park, Bizarre Bazaar and other exciting festivals and events.

Elsewhere in this publication, learn about the history of Kamloops and the region.

Experience that history for yourself by riding the rails behind a restored steam locomotive, marvelling at the

lively Kamloopa Pow Wow, exploring Historic Hat Creek Ranch.

Or, lace up your running shoes and go on a walking tour of historic heritage homes.

Whether you are a longtime resident or a first-time visitor, keep this guide as your personal road map for exploring Kamloops and the area.

We invite you to let loose and just play!;

Kamloops is the third-largest city in the Interior of British Columbia, home to 84,000 residents.

Accessible by three major B.C. highways, the city is among the warmest in Canada and boasts world-class sporting facilities and recreational experiences.

The city is affordable and visitors and residents can enjoy some inexpensive getaways, such as golf or skiing from about $89 per day.

Here are some reasons to enjoy Kamloops:

- Warmest summers: Average temperature of 27.2 C from June to August.

- Most parks: The area is home to 84 parks – the most in B.C.

Kamloops’ mild, dry four-season climate means visitors can enjoy summer and winter activities.

The Tournament Capital gets 2,000 hours of sunshine per year and only 270 millimetres of rain.

The average snowfall is 86 centimetres (33.86 inches) in the city area and up to 559 centimetres (17 feet) at nearby Sun Peaks, Canada’s third-largest ski resort.

Usually, the city ranks No. 1 in Canada for hottest summers, No. 2 for warmest springs, driest city and most sunny days in warm months, 11th for warmest year-round, 13th for mildest winter and 14th for most sunny days.

Central location

Kamloops is located in the heart of British Columbia’s Interior and is accessible by train, plane or automobile.

From Kamloops, it is a 3.5-hour drive to Vancouver, six hours to Calgary and eight hours to Edmonton.

Air Canada Jazz provides year-round flight service to Vancouver, Calgary and points within B.C.

The Rocky Mountaineer Railtour and VIA Rail trains make stops in the city.

Meetings/conventions

Kamloops is becoming a choice destination for organizations holding major conferences.

The city offers 16 convention facilities, ranging in size from 816 square feet to more than 48,000 square feet. There are also five major destination resorts in the Kamloops area and 10 other hotels with meeting facilities.

Tournament Capital of Canada

True to its moniker of Tournament Capital of Canada, visitors and residents can find a tournament every weekend in Kamloops.

This year, the city will host 98 tournaments, including the provincial soccer finals, the Canadian Masters Trand and Field Championships, the U15 Boys and Girls National Basketball tournament and the Lifesaving Society’s provincial lifeguard championships.

Some of the facilities the city has built include a 35,000-square-foot fieldhouse complete with indoor running track, an Olympic-sized hockey rink, championship soccer stadium with 500 seats, a soccer facility for tournaments, 12 baseball diamonds and a 1,500-seat baseball park.

It’s expected to take five years to fully complete but, when it’s done, Sedric’s Adventure Resort and Theme Park will sprawl 45 acres on the south side of Highway 5, across from Sun Rivers, and will employ about 1,500 people.

The first phase is a 12-acre water park – the largest in Canada and the eighth-largest in North America – that will have capacity for 8,000 people per day, boasting wave pools, thrill rides, tube rides, lazy river and children’s rides.

“I can’t begin to explain what’s inside this water park,” Doug Wittal of DW Builders told KTW, adding it will be Western-themed and be open by next summer.

“There will be an 80-foot-high tower where the bottom drops out and shoots people through the slides, another that fits eight of your friends on one tube and a swim-up pool bar.”

In addition to the water park, a 130- to 150-room hotel is planned, as well as two 12,000-foot commercial buildings, along with a couple of restaurants.

Capping it off, there will be a convention centre that can seat 1,000 people connected to a 3,000-seat ice arena with private booths and retractable roof, another 300-room hotel, a second 30,000-square-foot water park and 100 two-bedroom suites marketed to international students attending Thompson Rivers University.

“We believe it’s part of what will make Kamloops recession-proof,” Wittal of the project that will be built in phases over the next five years.

“This is just another thing that puts Kamloops on the map and shows why we’re the greatest place to live.”

After looking at other cities – including Kelowna – for the venture, he said the airport expansion and the introduction of WestJet Airlines sealed the deal for it to be built in the River City.

“People are going to be flying into Kamloops just for this – that’s the magnitude,” he said.

“I wanted it to be in Kamloops. I’m very pro-Kamloops and it works with the Tournament Capital theme. It’s huge dollars . . . the economic spinoffs are immense.”

Wittal and local partner Thomas Aubrey from IR Express have financial backing from undisclosed outside investors not affected by the current economic downturn.

During the park’s slide-show presentation, Aubrey was clearly elated, bouncing on his feet with a grin stretching ear to ear.

“Yes. Yes,” Aubrey shouted over the thunderous applause and shouts from the crowd, which included mayor and council, Kamloops Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson and council, MLAs Claude Richmond and Kevin Krueger and MP Cathy Mcleod.

Despite the current economic volatility, now is the perfect storm for Wittal.

“First off, we’re not participating in the recession,” he said. “We build when things are tougher, perceived to be tougher and, when everything is opened, we’ll be through all the turmoil.”

Technically, the development is on KIB land; however, it’s an individual who owns the parcels on which the theme park will rise.

Gottfriedson said he’s pleased with the development, noting it will strengthen the entire regional economy even during times of uncertainty.

“The announcement of this project on a CP holder’s land on our reserve, what this project shows is when you partner with the right people, there is certainty that is provided,” Gottfriedson said, noting it will bring numerous economic opportunities and jobs.

It used to be the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Fraser Valley and Okanagan were the hot spots, but with 10 top-class courses in the area, Kamloops is certainly the place to be.

Some of the world’s most famous golf architects – Robert Trent Jones Sr., Graham Cooke and Robert Heaslip – have designed courses here.

While Tobiano, Talking Rock, Rivershore Golf Estates and The Dunes at Kamloops are considered the top-flight courses, others, such as Sun Rivers, Sun Peaks, Kamloops Golf and Country Club, McArthur Island and Pineridge certainly give them a run for their money.

With prices ranging at about $65 a round, the game is also affordable, especially since greens fees are at least double in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

An added bonus is golfkamloops.com. This is a service that takes the legwork out of booking. This online tee-times service books everything from greens fees to hotels to restaurants.;

Kamloops has a rich cultural heritage that ranges from art to theatre to First Nations history.

Here is a look at what the city has to offer.

Kamloops Art Gallery

The Kamloops Art Gallery is located in downtown Kamloops and boasts the largest permanent art collection in the Interior, with more than 1,700 pieces.

It also features a gallery store, hosts special events and offers programs for children and adults who want to explore their artistic side.

Location: 101-465 Victoria St.

Kamloops Symphony Orchestra

Some say there is nothing like experiencing live orchestral music – and Kamloops can provide that experience.

From September to May, the KSO offers live music by composers from around the world and in a range of styles.

Performances are held at the 710-seat Sagebrush Theatre, 1300 Ninth Ave., and the Pavilion Theatre.

Kamloops Firehall Museum

The City of Kamloops Fire Rescue Service has created a museum that showcases the 116-year history of firefighting in Kamloops.

Location: 1205 Summit Dr.

Two Rivers Junction Dinner and Musical

Fun, food and music are awaiting visitors at the Two River Junction Dinner and Musical Review. The evening is a dinner theatre complete with a musical trip through some of the hit songs of past decades.

The season runs from mid-April to mid-October every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings.

Location: Kamloops Convention Centre, 1250 Rogers Way.

Kamloops Museum and Archives

With three floors of permanent and changing exhibits, visitors can discover the history of this Wild West town.

Exhibits here include: the local Secwepemc nation, early fur traders, the gold rush and gold seekers, cattle ranchers, paddlewheelers and railway construction, the coming of permanent settlers and the making of a frontier town.

Tours include informal or formal guided museum tours.

There are also programs for children – kindergarten to Grade 7 – available year-round.

A self-guided walking tour, bicycle tours and cemetary tours are available.

The Kamloops Museum and Archives is located at the corner of Second Avenue and Seymour Street in the bright gold building.

Open Tuesday to Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday closing at 7:30 p.m.

Admission: $3 for adults, $1 for youth.

Location: 207 Seymour St.

Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park

In order to experience the cultural history of the First Nations people of this area, a visit to the Secwepemc Museum and Heritage Park is in order.

The museum exhibits incorporate the oral history and legends of the Secwepemc People along with historical photographs, illustrations and artifacts.

Also on display are birch canoes, summer mat lodge and exhibits on hunting, fishing, clothing, games, food gathering and cooking.

The Heritage Park is located on the banks of the South Thompson River on a 12-acre property and is a complement to the museum.

There is more than one kilometre of trails leading visitors through the archeological remains of a 2,000-year-old Shuswap winter village site, four reconstructed winter pit houses and a summer village.

The village features a tule mat lodge, hunting lean-to, fish drying rack, fish trap, smoke house and traditional plant foods.

The Ethnobotanical Gardens

The Secwepemc Ethnobotanical Gardens are located in the Heritage Park and are divided into five zones, each representing a different ecosystem found within the Secwepemc territory.

Each system supports particular native plants that were traditionally harvested by the Secwepemc.

Interpretive signs located at each garden describe the ecosystem in which the plants grow naturally.

Location: 311-355 Yellowhead Hwy.

Western Canada Theatre

From September through March, those looking for a play or two need not search very far.

Plays include comedies, cutting-edge new Canadian works and plays from around the world.

The 2009-20010 season includes Sexy Laundry by Michele Riml, No Exit by Jean-Paul Sartre, My Fair Lady by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, The Foursome by Norm Foster, The Miracle Worker by William Gibson, Audible by Cayman Dncan and Skydive by Kevin Kerr.

For a leisurely paddle, try one of the 200 lakes within an hour’s drive of Kamloops or the smooth waters of the South Thompson River, which is sure to please.

For the more adventurous out there, the Thompson, Adams and Clearwater rivers ensure whitewater spills and thrills.

If you’re looking for a true wilderness experience, try an overnight trip in Wells Gray Park.

Following are a few suggestions:

South Thompson River

The South Thompson River has a gentle current, carrying you toward the downtown core and on to scenic Kamloops Lake.

Great views of the Thompson Valley, wildlife and, if you time it right, an unbelievable smooth ride on the glass-like surface awaits.

Directions: You can access the South Thompson River from Pioneer Park, located off Lorne Street in downtown Kamloops.

Clearwater-Azure

Located in Wells Gray Provincial Park, the Clearwater-Azure Lakes is an easy circuit trip suitable for novice and intermediate paddlers. This 96-

kilometre return trip will take about four or five days.

Camping is allowed at designated sites only.

This is a nice, safe paddling trip, but stay close to shore and watch for storm squalls and winds.

Directions: The boat launch is at the south end of Clearwater Lake, 71 kilometres from Highway 5.

The road is paved for 43 kilometres, with a further 28 kilometres of well-maintained gravel road leading to the boat launch.

The mighty river

“At the town of Clearwater, the North Thompson River is joined by one of the most spectacular tributaries of the Fraser system. Clearwater River is the culmination of an incredible concentration of waterfalls, rapids and chutes, probably the greatest in B.C. It is a world of whitewater and blue lakes protected by one of the province’s largest and finest parks, Wells Gray.”

Excerpt from The Mighty River by Richard Bocking

This site offers something for everyone.

Historic Hat Creek Ranch invites visitors of all ages to experience the rich history of ranching, aboriginal culture and the Cariboo Gold Rush.

Take a guided tour of the 1861 roadhouse, once a famous stopping point for gold seekers and travellers on their way to Barkerville.

Hear the tale of the infamous Wild McLeans, whose father Donald built the original roadhouse.

Ride the stagecoach along one of the few sections of the original Cariboo Wagon Road still accessible to the public.

Take a short walk along beautiful Hat Creek to learn about the fascinating traditions and culture of the Shuswap First Nations people at the native interpretation site, with its many displays and artifacts, including the pit house, which

is built half underground.

The visitor reception centre houses a licensed restaurant serving home-cooked meals, freshly baked goodies and tasty snacks, as well as a gift store stocked with unique souvenirs, locally made crafts and keepsakes from the Gold Country region.

The ranch is proud to host a variety of events throughout the season, including the draft-horse demonstration in June, the Trappers’ Rendezvous and the Traditional Bonaparte Pow Wow in August.

There is no better place to truly experience the birth of British Columbia’s Interior.

The ranch is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (6 p.m. in July and August) from May 1 to Sept. 30.;

Take a motorized-raft trip or enjoy a paddle trip and really get involved with the river. It depends on how much excitement someone wants.

There are three rivers to raft in Kamloops Country –