Castlegar is a small 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 and tourism. It is home to Selkirk College, a regional
airport, a pulp mill, and several small sawmills. The population of 7,259
people includes a large number of Doukhobors, who were largely responsible
for much of Castlegar's early development and growth. A sizeable Portuguese
community grew as workers, mainly from the Azores islands, moved in to
take up employment in the area. The area which was to become Castlegar
was an important centre for the Sinixt (Lakes) Peoples. Outside the city
limits are the small surrounding communities of Blueberry, Ootischenia,
Brilliant, Robson, Robson West, Raspberry, Tarrys, Thrums, Shoreacres,
Fairview, Genelle, Pass Creek and Krestova. There are also the much smaller
communities of Deer Park, Renata, and Syringa on Lower Arrow Lake. Taken
together, these outlying areas comprise an approximate population of a
further 8,000 people. |
