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Home , Ainsworth Hot Springs, Corra Linn Dam, Kaslo, Kootenay Bay, Kootenay Canal, Kootenay Lake

The 5th Annual West Kootenay 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 …

Slocan Valley… - Founded upon the discovery of silver in the mountains adjacent to Slocan 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 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 .

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 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 . The 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 . 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 views. The sits 19km downstream from Nelson. The water flows through the on 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 . The Courthouse was constructed with marble, quarried from the Meadow Creek area north of , 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 , 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. 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 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 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. This 13 acre estate is full of impressive gardens including rock features and a front gate constructed of chiseled granite. It was said Mr. Blaylock imported the best construction materials from all four corners of the earth. Today Blaylock’s Mansion is run as a B&B and spa for visitors.

Kokanee Glacier-This glacier is visible along Highway 3A towards Kaslo. The three peaks; Kokanee, Caribou and Woodbury are the main feeders to over 30 and creeks in this area. Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park has an elevation mostly above 1,800m with Kokanee Peak at 2,774m. Established in 1922, this park is one of the oldest in the province.

Kokanee Creek Provincial Park- Situated 19km from Nelson on Highway 3A, this park offers overnight camping, picnicking, day use areas, boat launch and a beautiful beach and sand bar for kids and adults alike to discover. Check out the Visitor Information Centre here as well to find out more about scenic day hikes in the area.

Kootenay Lake - The Kootenay Lake region was inhabited first by the Ktunaxa people for thousands of years. David Thompson discovered the 100km long lake in 1808. The first ferry service across the Kootenay Lake was in 1931, and in 1963 an alternate route was established known as the .

Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016

Balfour- The western terminal for the Kootenay Lake ferry crossing and a small town that used to be a very busy place in the mining days. Today the Balfour ferry landing is a wonderful rest area where many people picnic or dine before they cross the lake to .

Did you know? Kootenay Lake boasts the “Longest Free Ferry Ride” in the world at 35mins! Pictured is the Osprey 2000, with an 80 car capacity, this vessel was actually constructed in Nelson. It took over for the old ferry the M.V. Anscomb in 2000. Where is the M.V. Anscomb now? At the bottom of Kootenay Lake!! It accidentally sank at Woodbury in 2004 Ainsworth…

Ainsworth Hot Springs- Primarily discovered by the aboriginals of the area, the hot springs were found in the late summer, around the time of the Kokanee Salmon run. In the early days of the pools opening a swim only cost 10 cents! Though the prices have changed today, this relaxing resort is well worth visiting. Some attractions include; an outdoor pool, mineral caves, and an ice cold glacier tub for those brave hearted souls who wish to freshen up.

Kaslo…

The Langham Hotel- built in 1896; the Langham Hotel held approximately 80 Canadians of Japanese descent during World War II. It was used as an internment center for this period of time.

Did you know? The Kootenay River’s origin is in the Kootenay ranges of the Canadian Rockies and runs its 781km course through Canada and the United States.

City Hall-This building was constructed in 1898. This wood frame City Hall site is one of Canada’s last two buildings of its kind. After a restoration of this site, the Kaslo City Hall was recognized as a National Historic site in 1984..

St. Andrews United Church- located on 4th Street in Kaslo this church was built in 1893 as Robertson Presbyterian Church. In 1894 a devastating fire struck Kaslo and the church became a shelter for those who lost their homes. The church was renamed in 1900 to St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and then became St. Andrew's United Church in 1925 when several congregations were amalgamated.

Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016

Vimy Park- Enjoy your lunch in beautiful Vimy Park along the shore of Kootenay Lake. The park is a tribute to the veterans’ of Vimy Ridge from the First World War. A monument was constructed in the veterans honor in 1992.

SS -this National Historic Site took off on water in 1898 on the Kootenay Lake and ran until 1957. The SS Moyie was a large part of everyday life as she transported generations of miners, settlers, and soldiers from both wars. Now this historic Sternwheeler is located at 324 Front Street in Kaslo for all interested people to view.

Did you know? To continue mining operations in the winter and ensure supplies made it to isolated communities, prospectors designed snowshoes for their horses and pack mules, so they wouldn’t sink in the Kaslo-New Denver… snow!

The stretch of highway between Kaslo and New Denver is also referred to as the Valley of the Ghosts in memory of the numerous communities that once called this valley home. On your ride over to New Denver be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the remnants of old mining operations, and ghost towns!

Iron Hand Mine- About 25km from Kaslo on the north side of the highway, on the open rock face you can spot the remnants of the Iron Hand Mine. With two tunnels on the north face easily distinguishable, the Iron Hand Mine is one of many abandoned mining operations in the valley. This mine was a site that many Chinese Laborers worked at and would excavate the tailings from the mine to a concentrator site, all by hand. The name Iron Hand Mine comes into play because of the fact that only a handful of iron was excavated. The mine site was in use from 1924 to 1929. The founding prospector who worked alone in the mine died in a mining accident. His wife soon after his death blew up the mine so no one else could go down. In 1924 Monty Davies of Kaslo, worked tailings from the Whitewater mine further up the river. Because of the unorthodox method of mining he used, this area was nicknamed Hong Kong Central.

Retallack- One of the three remaining mining ghost towns along Highway 31A between Kaslo (27 km from Kaslo) and New Denver, the remains of Retallack are visible from the road. This town was originally known as Bells Camp. The Bells Brothers owned it and operated a saw mill here. The population of this town was 300 people. Three first class hotels, a barber shop, a town store and a school made up the small town later named Retallack. In 1910, the town of Three Forks had an enormous forest fire sweep through the entire valley. The safest place that most people took refuge in was the mine tunnel. The town remained in ashes ever since then. Freight agents addressed all their packages and bundles with a stamp that said Retallack after J.L. Retallack, the founder of one of the mines. Ever since the stamping of his name Retallack became the new and lasting name for this small town.

Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016

Sandon

This historic ghost town is one not

to be missed. It was founded in

1892 by Johnny Harris. In the

downtown core the CPR

locomotive is on display along

with many other interesting

historic sites.

Sandon is one of the old towns on

the “Valley of the Ghosts”

highway. It is filled with history

and mystery. In 1955 sadly, the

town was decimated by a

which left the main street in ruins.

To this day the streets of Sandon

are as they were left after the flood

occurred. Who knows what kind K & S Railway Historic Trail- spirits still inhabit this ghost town. Beginning at Three Forks, 8.5km

east of New Denver, this historic

rail grade path winds around mine shafts, informational signs and artifacts from old times. Carpenter Creek and Lucerne Glacier are visible at certain points along this trail making for a beautiful scenic ride.

Bosun Hall - Back in New Denver you will ride past Bosun Hall and end where it began. Constructed by a Slocan Valley pioneer and orchardist Joe Harris, the hall’s original use was an opera house. Every summer the Slocan Lake Dance Camp is held here. This event includes four days of ballroom, latin, swing, and country workshops.

… And the tour ends in New Denver.

Thank you for supporting the West Kootenay Chapter of the MS Society and participating in the 5th Annual West Kootenay Glacier Challenge Scotiabank MS Bike Tour!

Scotiabank MS Bike Tour August 20-21, 2016