Geography:
Williams lake is located in central British Columbia within the Cariboo region. It was once home to the Cordilleran Ice Sheet which has helped to shape its unique geomorphological characteristics (Clague, 1986). The city itself is lays between the Cariboo mountains and the Fraser river and it’s accompanying Chilcotin ranching region. Today’s core portion of the city is located at the western end of Williams lake. The city is also an intersection point of highway 20 and 97 and therefore has become a well known service center for travelers. In respect to its climatic condition, the city is within a relatively dry climate with mild winters and extremely cold winters. (Super Natural British Columbia
Culture & History
Williams Lake has a colourful history that incorporates First Nations, prospectors who followed the gold rush, settlers who arrived with the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, and many a rugged cowboy.
- First Nations in Williams Lake
The first Aboriginals that lived in the Williams Lake area were descendents of the Secwepemc (or “Shuswap”) people. They were semi-nomadic travelers who followed the food sources during the different seasons. The Shuswap would return every winter to their permanent villages, characterized by the sunken structures known as Akickwillie or Aquigly houses. They referred to the Williams Lake area as “Columneetza,” the meeting place.
- Gold Rush and Cariboo Road
The area really opened up when thousands of gold prospectors entered the interior via the Fraser River valley and helped to create the Cariboo Gold Rush of 1858. For almost a decade, the community grew and supported numerous prosperous businesses.
In 1863, a proposed road, the Cariboo Road, was expected to be created and was meant to pass through this burgeoning trading centre. However, road builder Gustavus Blin Wright had difficulties obtaining funds and rerouted the trail through 150 Mile House, bypassing Williams Lake altogether. This bypass nearly destroyed the community and many settlers left.
- The Pacific Great Eastern Railway
In 1919, the Pacific Great Eastern Railway linked the town to the rest of the province. The railroad built the major stock yards, forming a hub for cattle trade in the region. Williams Lake prospered, developed and fanned out from a road house owned by Constable William Pinchbeck.
There was a great stir of excitement amongst the population as the steel rails were laid. To celebrate, a cowboy sporting event and an impromptu picnic were held near Williams Creek. Within a year, hotels, stores and homes began to cover the hills as the city grew. The casual cowboy event was organized into an official stampede and eventually attracted the attention of competitors all over the country. Today, the Williams Lake Stampede is rated second only to the Calgary Stampede, and has the best Canadian and US cowboys and riders competing.
The city of Williams Lake was incorporated in 1929 and covers 33sq km/21sq mi.
Economy:
-Williams lake’s economy is reliant on forestry (Community Snapshot – Williams Lake Cariboo Economic Region, British Columbia)
-Tourism (Fray, 2006)
-Which means we can somewhat presume the basic source of income and level income of families living in the region. This factor is crucial when thinking about our project, whether it is suitable and affordable for the local communities once finished.
Demographics and population distribution:
-Population declined by 20% between 1996 – 2006 (Community Snapshot – Williams Lake Cariboo Economic Region, British Columbia)
-Low birthrate, high elderly population. Which demographic group will our project serve?
most information quoted from Destination British Columbia