The 5Th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Scotiabank MS Bike Tour!
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The 5th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Scotiabank MS Bike Tour Courtesy of: Nelson & District Chamber of Commerce 91 Baker Street Nelson B.C. Ph. 250 352 3433 [email protected] discovernelson.com Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016 The tour starts in New Denver… Slocan Valley… New Denver- Founded upon the discovery of silver in the mountains adjacent to Slocan Lake in 1891, prospectors from the United States came flooding up to the New Denver region in 1892 to stake their claims, and gather their riches. New Denver quickly grew to a population of 500 people with 50 buildings. In 1895 this growing community built government offices and supply houses for the Silvery Slocan Mines. “A Simple Curve” was filmed in and around the Slocan Valley and was debuted in 2005. The story is of a young man born to war resister parents. War Resisters- In 1976 as many as 14,000 Americans came to the Slocan Valley in an attempt to avoid the Vietnam War. About half of those who made the move were self-proclaimed war resisters, many of whom settled in the Kootenay Region. Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre This exclusive interpretive centre features the Japanese-Canadian internment history of New Denver during the Second World War. The camp is said to have held close to 1500 internees during the war. The memorial centre opened in 1994, which showcases several buildings including the community hall and three restored tar paper shacks with Japanese gardens. A well known Canadian to come out of one of these local institutions is Dr. David Suzuki, a Canadian science broadcaster and environmentalist. He is known for his work in “The Nature of Things,” a CBC program about science and environmentalism. Nikkei Interment Camp 1943 Silvery Slocan Museum Filled with history of the New Denver area, this building used to be the Bank of Montreal, in service from 1897 to 1972 and is now the New Denver Visitors Centre as well as the museum. Silverton- Historical mining community, built along the river, this town went through boom and bust. It came close to becoming a ghost town in the 30’s, but due to its beautiful location beside the water the community has survived. Today Silverton boasts many attractions including over 40 historic homes and festivals throughout the year including Christmas by the Lake. Between Silverton and Slocan be sure not to miss the public view point, offering views of the Valhalla Mountain range, part of the 49,600 hectares of Valhalla Provincial Park. Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016 Winlaw to Crescent Valley… Sleep is for Sissies- Enjoy your lunch in the beautiful dining area surrounded by glass walls, which transforms into a garden patio for dining in the summer. Biking through Winlaw and Passmore, the sights are endless. Watch for wetland vistas, the Vallican Bluffs and picture-perfect glimpses of Frog Peak as you follow the road towards Slocan Park. The Slocan River will wind along beside you as you pedal from Slocan to the Junction with Highway 3A. You may see cyclists riding along the old rail grade just off the highway and water enthusiasts floating down the river. Did you know? The first highway in Slocan followed along the lake shore, a one lane highway with tunnels blasted out from rocky cliffs lining Slocan Lake. It was said there were few pull outs along the road which made for some hairy driving encounters! From the Slocan Valley Junction, following Highway 3A, you turn down Blewett Road. Be prepared to see some beautiful, scenic Kootenay River views. The Kootenay Canal sits 19km downstream from Nelson. The water flows through the Corra Linn Dam on Kootenay Lake and then passes through the Kootenay Canal. The completion date of BC Hydro’s Kootenay Canal Generating Station was 1976. Nelson… Roxanne movie- Steve Martin and Daryl Hannah starred in the movie Roxanne filmed in downtown Nelson, in the summer of 1986. Along Vernon Street you will see some familiar scenes where Steve Martin walked. A circle still marks the spot of the stump that was the meeting place for Steve Martin and his While you’re in town be sure to check adversaries. out vibrant Baker Street! Boasting Houston Memorial-Located on Vernon historic buildings, local artisans, & Street, this memorial was built in delicious meals. It is a must see while memory of Nelson’s first mayor John in town. A historic walking tour of Houston. He was the publisher of Nelson’s first newspaper, The Miner. the downtown is available through the Visitor Centre! Old City Hall- Dating back to 1902 this unique building was first used as a post office and customs house. Today the Old City Hall is now Nelson Touchstone’s Museum of Art and History. Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016 Courthouse- This building was designed by famed architect F.M. Rattenbury, who also designed the parliament buildings in Victoria. The Courthouse was constructed with marble, quarried from the Meadow Creek area north of Kaslo, and has been the town’s courthouse since 1909. Hume Hotel- This hotel is full of history dating back to 1898 when it was first opened. With original building costs estimated around $60,000, the Hume Hotel was a world class establishment. Rumor has it that the spirit of the original hotel owner J.F. Hume still dwells in the hotel. High Street offers a nice scenic ride with beautiful glimpses of the lake along the way. Hume School- This beautiful old brick building, on the right hand side of Nelson Avenue was first opened in 1923; it continues to be a wonderful elementary school for kindergarten to grade 5. “Bogustown” – The residential area now known as Fairview was dubbed “Bogus Town” by workmen. They were impatient for unpaid wages from a Victoria developer for street and wharf construction in the region dubbed by the contractor as the “Nelson City Addition.” Fairview later officially joined the city of Nelson in 1921. Dairy Queen- Be sure to stop by our unique Dairy Queen in Nelson and you will find it has its own character. DQ was completed shortly after the construction of the Nelson West Arm Bridge in 1957. The local Dairy Queen sits across from the original location of the toll booths for the West Arm Bridge. Standing out from many other Dairy Queen’s in Canada, our local DQ sticks to the tasty treats menu (frozen treats only) while other franchises became known for their hot eats menu as well. Nelson Tramway- Nelson was the smallest city in the British Empire to have a streetcar system. Streetcar No.23 was built in 1906 by the Stephenson Car Company, a division of the J.G. Brill Company of Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.A. It was purchased by the City of Nelson in 1924, to run as back up for the city’s two existing streetcars. Streetcar No.23 would run until June 20, 1949, when the Nelson streetcar service was suspended in favor of buses. From 1951 to 1982 Streetcar No. 23 was privately owned and located at the S.S. Nasookin a mile from town. During this time StreetCar No.23 had a variety of uses from a cabin to a dog kennel and even a souvenir shop. In 1982 as the S.S. Nasookin changed ownership, the streetcar was donated back to the community. Both Selkirk College and the Nelson Chamber of Commerce took up the task of preserving and restoring the streetcar to its former glory. Lakeside Rotary Park- Here is the perfect place for your stop, a relaxing park and enjoyable view. Created in 1906, Lakeside Park is a valuable piece of social and cultural history in Nelson. Similar to many other creek mouths in the area, the beaches of Lakeside Park were once used by the First Nations people prior to the settlement period. It was during the settlement period of the town that numerous Neolithic tools and other signs of First Nation use were discovered in the park. Local reports also state the water levels from Kootenay Lake were once so high that it was possible to paddle into the flooded park from the lake, up to the point where Rose Garden Café now stands. Lakeside Park has many attractions including; beach access, seawall promenade, rowing club boathouse, streetcar barn, labyrinth, playground, picnic area and totem pole. The park has become a fixture for locals and visitors alike. Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016 North Shore… Nelson West Arm Bridge - November 1957 marked the completion of the West Arm Bridge. The bridge replaced a cable ferry at the time, which was the main transportation link for all cars, trucks and pedestrians crossing the lake into Nelson. The bridge is referred to by the locals as BOB for Big Orange Bridge. S.S. Nasookin- One mile from Nelson on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, on your left hand side you will see the old paddle wheeler called the S.S. Nasookin. This paddle wheeler began its operations on Kootenay Lake in 1913, and met trains at Kootenay Landing. It was built to hold 500 passengers with 54 staterooms. It was also equipped with a dining room, and multiple smoking and ladies’ salons. It was very common to see people come down to the dock and welcome the passengers to their new destination. Today the S.S. Nasookin is a residential home overlooking Kootenay Lake. Blaylock’s Mansion-Built in 1937 as a summer home, Blaylock Mansion is situated 5km from Nelson on Kootenay Lake.