Marysville, British Columbia
SunMine, was the largest solar PV plant in Western Canada when built in 2015 on the site of the former Sullivan Mine concentrator.
History
Kimberley incorporated as a city on March 29, 1944. It amalgamated with the former Village of Marysville on November 1, 1968. Following the routing of Highway 95 away from the city, in 1972 Kimberley transformed into the Bavarian City of the Rockies to entice motorists passing through the region to visit. Kimberley's Mine was the Sullivan Mine, and it was the largest lead-zinc mine in the world. The mine ceased operation in 2001.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 5,933 | — |
| 1956 | 5,774 | −2.7% |
| 1961 | 6,013 | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 5,901 | −1.9% |
| 1971 | 7,840 | +32.9% |
| 1976 | 7,111 | −9.3% |
| 1981 | 7,375 | +3.7% |
| 1986 | 6,732 | −8.7% |
| 1991 | 6,531 | −3.0% |
| 1996 | 6,738 | +3.2% |
| 2001 | 6,484 | −3.8% |
| 2006 | 6,139 | −5.3% |
| 2011 | 6,652 | +8.4% |
| 2016 | 7,425 | +11.6% |
| 2021 | 8,115 | +9.3% |
| Source: Statistics Canada | ||
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Kimberley had a population of 8,115 living in 3,595 of its 4,263 total private dwellings, a change of 9.3% from its 2016 population of 7,425. With a land area of 60.51 km (23.36 sq mi), it had a population density of 134.1/km (347.3/sq mi) in 2021.
Although its historical population was closely tied to activities at the Sullivan Mine, the city's high-speed internet and scenic location enabled growth in tech and tourism beginning in the 2000s.
Ethnicity
| Panethnic group |
2021 | 2016 | 2011 | 2006 | 2001 | 1996 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | |||
| European | 7,230 | 91% | 6,665 | 92.12% | 5,930 | 91.58% | 5,725 | 94.78% | 6,115 | 95.7% | 6,345 | 95.2% | ||
| Indigenous | 475 | 5.98% | 375 | 5.18% | 395 | 6.1% | 225 | 3.73% | 165 | 2.58% | 155 | 2.33% | ||
| East Asian | 90 | 1.13% | 95 | 1.31% | 50 | 0.77% | 60 | 0.99% | 30 | 0.47% | 80 | 1.2% | ||
| South Asian | 45 | 0.57% | 20 | 0.28% | 30 | 0.46% | 10 | 0.17% | 25 | 0.39% | 30 | 0.45% | ||
| Southeast Asian | 45 | 0.57% | 70 | 0.97% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.17% | 15 | 0.23% | 15 | 0.23% | ||
| Latin American | 40 | 0.5% | 10 | 0.14% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.15% | ||
| African | 10 | 0.13% | 10 | 0.14% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.17% | 40 | 0.63% | 25 | 0.38% | ||
| Middle Eastern | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Other/Multiracial | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 10 | 0.17% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | ||
| Total responses | 7,945 | 97.91% | 7,235 | 97.44% | 6,475 | 97.34% | 6,040 | 98.39% | 6,390 | 98.55% | 6,665 | 98.92% | ||
| Total population | 8,115 | 100% | 7,425 | 100% | 6,652 | 100% | 6,139 | 100% | 6,484 | 100% | 6,738 | 100% | ||
| Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses | ||||||||||||||
Religion
According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Kimberley included:
- Irreligion (5,210 persons or 65.6%)
- Christianity (2,555 persons or 32.2%)
- Buddhism (45 persons or 0.6%)
- Hinduism (20 persons or 0.3%)
- Other (105 persons or 1.3%)
Tourism and transportation
The city has the "largest freestanding cuckoo clock in Canada". It began to develop a Bavarian-themed village in the 1970s after taking inspiration from Leavenworth, Washington. Kimberley no longer has a bavarian theme.
Kimberley is served by the Canadian Rockies International Airport.
Schools
Schools in Kimberley are part of School District 6 Rocky Mountain which also serves Invermere and Golden.
- Blarchmont Elementary School (closed as of September, 2006) and now home of the College of the Rockies Kimberley Campus
- Selkirk Secondary School
- McKim Elementary School (changed from a Middle School to a 4 to 7 school as of September, 2006)
- Marysville Elementary School
- Lindsay Park Elementary School
- Continuing Education School
- Kimberley Alternate School
Other schools accredited by the government:
- Kimberley Independent School (pre-K to grade 9)
Climate
Kimberley has a continental climate with semi-arid influences and heavy moderation from the nearby mountains which tend to block arctic air masses, and produce a rain shadow. Its fairly high elevation counters this effect slightly, as temperatures are somewhat cooler and the town slightly more rainy than it would otherwise be.
| Climate data for Kimberley | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 12.5 (54.5) |
14.0 (57.2) |
22.0 (71.6) |
26.0 (78.8) |
31.5 (88.7) |
34.0 (93.2) |
37.0 (98.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
34.0 (93.2) |
26.5 (79.7) |
17.0 (62.6) |
8.5 (47.3) |
37.0 (98.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −1.7 (28.9) |
2.1 (35.8) |
7.6 (45.7) |
13.5 (56.3) |
18.2 (64.8) |
21.7 (71.1) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.3 (79.3) |
21.0 (69.8) |
12.3 (54.1) |
3.1 (37.6) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
12.3 (54.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −6.8 (19.8) |
−4.1 (24.6) |
1.2 (34.2) |
6.5 (43.7) |
11.0 (51.8) |
14.5 (58.1) |
18.1 (64.6) |
17.6 (63.7) |
12.6 (54.7) |
5.6 (42.1) |
−1.4 (29.5) |
−6.8 (19.8) |
5.7 (42.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −11.9 (10.6) |
−10.3 (13.5) |
−5.3 (22.5) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
3.8 (38.8) |
7.2 (45.0) |
9.7 (49.5) |
8.9 (48.0) |
4.2 (39.6) |
−1.1 (30.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−11.2 (11.8) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −36.5 (−33.7) |
−35.5 (−31.9) |
−26.0 (−14.8) |
−11.0 (12.2) |
−4.5 (23.9) |
−1.5 (29.3) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
−2.5 (27.5) |
−7.0 (19.4) |
−19.0 (−2.2) |
−31.0 (−23.8) |
−35.0 (−31.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 39.2 (1.54) |
28.9 (1.14) |
26.6 (1.05) |
28.2 (1.11) |
42.7 (1.68) |
55.8 (2.20) |
36.2 (1.43) |
27.0 (1.06) |
30.9 (1.22) |
25.8 (1.02) |
45.6 (1.80) |
44.7 (1.76) |
431.6 (16.99) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 5.1 (0.20) |
5.0 (0.20) |
13.6 (0.54) |
24.0 (0.94) |
41.5 (1.63) |
55.8 (2.20) |
36.2 (1.43) |
27.0 (1.06) |
30.5 (1.20) |
22.0 (0.87) |
18.6 (0.73) |
4.1 (0.16) |
283.4 (11.16) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 39.2 (15.4) |
23.9 (9.4) |
13.2 (5.2) |
4.2 (1.7) |
1.2 (0.5) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (0.2) |
2.8 (1.1) |
27.0 (10.6) |
40.6 (16.0) |
148.4 (58.4) |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Sports
The Kimberley Dynamiters Junior B Ice Hockey team play in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL). The Dynamiters have produced many professional hockey players, including Jason Wiemer, who last played with the New Jersey Devils of the National Hockey League (NHL).
There are three major golf courses to play in Kimberley; Purcell Golf, Bootleg Gap and Trickle Creek Golf Resort. Just 15 – 20 minutes away are St. Eugene Golf Resort, Wildstone Golf and Shadow Mountain Golf Course. There are many other golf courses in the East Kootenay region.
Kimberley is home to the Worlds Longest Running Skateboard Race called the Sullivan Challenge.
Mountain biking is a summer sport of Kimberley, with over 100km of trails for every skill level.
Kimberley Alpine Resort owned by the Resort of the Canadian Rockies, regularly hosts ski races on the Para Alpine Skiing. It offers a wide range of runs, for all levels. Kimberley Alpine Resort is also home to the Winter Sports School which hosts lessons for all ages and abilities.
There is an annual ultra marathon at Kimberley Alpine Resort, the Black Spur Ultra. Runners choose between 54 km and 108 km distances.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kimberley Dynamiters | KIJHL | Ice Hockey | Kimberley Civic Centre | 1972 | 3 |
Notable people
- Stanley Hayer, former Olympian and current head coach of the Canadian ski cross team
- Rosalind C. Morris, Columbia University anthropologist, Guggenheim Fellow
- Gerry Sorensen, former alpine skier
- Daniel Sullivan, ice hockey goaltender
- Jason Wiemer, retired NHL player