Revelstoke, British Columbia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Revelstoke
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| City of Revelstoke | |
Mackenzie Avenue
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| Nickname(s):
Revy, The Stoke, Revelstuck
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 Revelstoke
Location in British Columbia
Revelstoke
Location in Canada
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | British Columbia |
| Regional District | Columbia-Shuswap |
| Founded | 1880 |
| Incorporated | 1899 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 40.76 km2 (15.74 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 480 m (1,570 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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8,275 |
| • Density | 622.8/km2 (1,613/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC−08:00 (PST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−07:00 (PDT) |
| Postal code span |
V0E 2S0 & 3S0
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| Area code(s) | 250, 778, 236, 672 |
| Highways |  Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) Hwy 23 |
Revelstoke is a city in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. In 2021, its population was 8,275 people. Revelstoke is about 641 kilometers (398 miles) east of Vancouver. It is also 415 kilometers (258 miles) west of Calgary, Alberta.
The city sits on the banks of the Columbia River. It is just south of the Revelstoke Dam. The Illecillewaet River also joins the Columbia River nearby. To the east, you'll find the Selkirk Mountains and Glacier National Park. The Trans-Canada Highway and the Canadian Pacific Railway use Rogers Pass to go through these mountains. South of Revelstoke are the Arrow Lakes, Mount Begbie, and the Kootenays. To the west, Eagle Pass goes through the Monashee Mountains towards Shuswap Lake.
Contents
History of Revelstoke
Revelstoke began in the 1880s. This was when the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) was built through the area. Mining was a very important industry back then. The town was first called Farwell, named after a local landowner. Even earlier, people called it the "Second Crossing." This was to tell it apart from the first place the CPR crossed the Columbia River at Donald.
The city got its name from the Canadian Pacific Railway. They named it after Lord Revelstoke. He was the head of Baring Brothers & Co., a bank in the UK. This bank helped save the Canadian Pacific Railway from going broke in 1885. They bought the railway's unsold bonds, which allowed the railway to be finished. The local post office opened in 1886.
Growth and Tourism
The Trans-Canada Highway was built in 1962. This made it easier for people to get to Revelstoke. Since then, tourism has become a big part of the local economy. Skiing is now the most popular attraction. Mount Revelstoke National Park is just north of the town.
A large new ski resort, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, started being built in late 2005. It is on Mount MacKenzie, just outside of town. It first opened for skiing in the 2007-2008 winter season. Revelstoke also has a railway museum.
Wildlife and Snowfall
Revelstoke is in an area where black bears and grizzly bears live. In 1994, the city's garbage dump was surrounded by an electric fence. This stopped bears from eating garbage there. The bears then started looking for food in town. Many were sadly removed as "nuisance bears." Because so many bears were removed, a program was started. This program teaches people how to keep bears wild and the community safe.
Revelstoke holds the Canadian record for the most snow in one winter. During the winter of 1971–72, 2,447 centimeters (963 inches) of snow fell on Mt. Copeland, just outside town. That's over 80 feet of snow! The town itself received 779 centimeters (307 inches). The snow was higher than many roofs by several meters.
Revelstoke's Economy
Revelstoke's economy has always been closely linked to the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). It still has a strong connection to the railway industry today. However, other industries have grown over the years. These include forestry, construction, tourism, and retail. The Revelstoke Railway Museum shows the town's history with the CPR. It is also an important place for tourists to visit.
Revelstoke is also home to the Revelstoke Dam. This dam was built on the Columbia River and finished in 1984. After the dam was completed, the local sawmill closed for a while. To help the economy, the City of Revelstoke started a project in 1986. They worked to improve the downtown area, and it was very successful.
The city has its own airport, called Revelstoke Airport.
Skiing and Mountain Resort
A small ski resort with one short lift has been on Mount MacKenzie since the 1960s. Snowcat skiing was also offered for higher parts of the mountain. People wanted to make the whole mountain into a big resort. Construction began in the early 2000s. Revelstoke Mountain Resort opened in the winter of 2007/8. It has North America's biggest vertical drop, which is 1,713 meters (5,620 feet).
The resort also offers 3,121 acres of skiing. This includes high alpine bowls and 13 areas of tree skiing. It also has more groomed trails. Revelstoke Mountain Resort was once the only resort in the world to offer lift, cat, heli, and backcountry skiing from one main village. Even though the economy changed in late 2008, the resort continues to develop. New lifts, hotels, condos, and a golf course are planned.
Population and Community
In the 2021 Census, Revelstoke had a population of 8,275 people. This was a growth from its 2016 population of 7,562. Most people in Revelstoke are of European background. There are also many Indigenous residents. Other groups include people from East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Most people in Revelstoke do not follow a specific religion. However, a significant number of people are Christian. Smaller groups follow Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Judaism.
Sports and Recreation
Revelstoke is known for producing talented athletes, especially in ice hockey.
The former local hockey team, the Revelstoke Bruins, had players who later joined the NHL. These included Bruce Holloway, Ron Flockhart, and Rudy Poeschek. The current team is the Revelstoke Grizzlies. Aaron Volpatti, a professional hockey player, used to play for the Grizzlies. Another professional player, Andrew Kozek, was also born in Revelstoke.
Ski Jumping History
Norwegian immigrants brought skiing and ski jumping to Revelstoke. By the 1910s, several ski jumping hills were built. The Revelstoke Ski Club started in 1914 and quickly grew to 102 members. The club's main event was the yearly Winter Carnival Tournament. The first tournament was in 1915. It had cross-country skiing and ski jumping for boys and a championship for British Columbia.
Nels Nelsen Hill, first called Big Hill, opened in 1916. Revelstoke became a global center for ski jumping. Top athletes from around the world came for the tournament. Revelstoke's own Nels Nelsen set a world record on the hill, jumping 73 meters (240 feet) in 1925. Bob Lymburne set another record of 82 meters (269 feet) in 1932. The hill was updated in 1948, bringing more international events. The town even thought about bidding for the 1968 Winter Olympics. However, interest in ski jumping declined in the 1960s. The last tournament was held in 1975.
Winter Sports Today
Because of the heavy snowfall, Revelstoke is a popular spot for winter sports. It has four heli-skiing and two cat-skiing operations. There are also many backcountry skiing lodges. Revelstoke is a major place for snowmobiling too.
In 2010, Revelstoke became part of the Freeskiing World Tour. In 2012, this tour merged with others to form the Swatch Freeride World Tour by the North Face. This tour includes freeride skiing and snowboarding. Revelstoke is often the first stop on this world tour.
Since 2015, Revelstoke has hosted the Red Bull Cold Rush. This event combines different types of backcountry skiing. Skiers compete for a prize, judged by other athletes.
Summer Activities
In the summer, many people enjoy mountain biking, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and kayaking.
Roller Derby
In 2011, locals Michael Curran and Stephanie Ells started the "Revelstoke Roller Derby Association." The league's main team, the Derailers, had their first games in the summer of 2012. They won both of their home games.
| Club | League | Sport | Venue | Established | Championships |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revelstoke Grizzlies | KIJHL | Ice Hockey | Revelstoke Forum | 1993 | 4 |
Education in Revelstoke
School District 19 Revelstoke manages the public schools in Revelstoke and nearby areas.
The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique operates one French-language school. It is called école des Glaciers primary school.
Revelstoke in Films
Revelstoke has been a filming location for several movies:
- The 1937 British movie The Great Barrier showed the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Parts of it were filmed in Revelstoke.
- Some scenes from the 1999 action movie Double Jeopardy were filmed in Revelstoke. The historic courthouse was one of the locations.
- The Barber (2001) was almost entirely filmed in Revelstoke. The town in the movie is called Revelstoke, Alaska.
- In 2017, the Hallmark Channel movie Frozen in Love was filmed in the area.
Revelstoke's Climate
Revelstoke has a humid continental climate. This means summers are usually warm and rainy with cool nights. Winters are cold, snowy, and very cloudy.
On average, Revelstoke has about 50 days below 0 °C (32 °F) each year. It also has about 13 days above 30 °C (86 °F). The most snow in one day was 60.2 cm (23.7 inches) on December 10, 1980. The deepest snow ever recorded was 173 cm (68.1 inches) on February 15, 1982.
The hottest temperature ever recorded in Revelstoke was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) on July 17, 1941. The coldest temperature ever recorded was -34.4 °C (-29.9 °F). This happened on January 11, 1909, January 20, 1935, and January 18, 1943.
| Climate data for Revelstoke Airport, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1898–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 11.7 (53.1) |
12.8 (55.0) |
22.2 (72.0) |
28.3 (82.9) |
37.2 (99.0) |
40.1 (104.2) |
40.6 (105.1) |
38.3 (100.9) |
37.2 (99.0) |
25.6 (78.1) |
17.2 (63.0) |
11.1 (52.0) |
40.6 (105.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | −0.9 (30.4) |
1.1 (34.0) |
7.2 (45.0) |
13.6 (56.5) |
19.7 (67.5) |
22.9 (73.2) |
25.1 (77.2) |
24.5 (76.1) |
18.4 (65.1) |
10.6 (51.1) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | −3.5 (25.7) |
−2.2 (28.0) |
2.5 (36.5) |
7.8 (46.0) |
12.9 (55.2) |
16.4 (61.5) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.9 (64.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
6.8 (44.2) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−3.6 (25.5) |
7.3 (45.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −6.2 (20.8) |
−5.5 (22.1) |
−2.3 (27.9) |
1.9 (35.4) |
6.1 (43.0) |
9.9 (49.8) |
11.5 (52.7) |
11.3 (52.3) |
7.0 (44.6) |
3.0 (37.4) |
−1.3 (29.7) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
2.5 (36.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −34.4 (−29.9) |
−32.2 (−26.0) |
−27.2 (−17.0) |
−15.0 (5.0) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
0.6 (33.1) |
−6.1 (21.0) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−12.7 (9.1) |
−23.6 (−10.5) |
−32.8 (−27.0) |
−34.4 (−29.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 107.9 (4.25) |
80.4 (3.17) |
61.6 (2.43) |
66.5 (2.62) |
58.1 (2.29) |
75.2 (2.96) |
72.5 (2.85) |
66.6 (2.62) |
55.5 (2.19) |
84.2 (3.31) |
118.3 (4.66) |
103.7 (4.08) |
950.5 (37.42) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 20.8 (0.82) |
27.7 (1.09) |
43.7 (1.72) |
62.2 (2.45) |
58.1 (2.29) |
75.2 (2.96) |
72.5 (2.85) |
66.6 (2.62) |
55.5 (2.19) |
82.5 (3.25) |
62.3 (2.45) |
22.3 (0.88) |
649.3 (25.56) |
| Average snowfall cm (inches) | 112.5 (44.3) |
67.9 (26.7) |
21.5 (8.5) |
4.3 (1.7) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.7 (0.7) |
62.4 (24.6) |
110.6 (43.5) |
381.0 (150.0) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 19.0 | 15.5 | 14.5 | 16.1 | 14.1 | 16.1 | 14.9 | 13.2 | 11.2 | 15.1 | 20.6 | 17.9 | 188.2 |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 5.9 | 7.3 | 12.3 | 15.8 | 14.1 | 16.1 | 14.9 | 13.2 | 11.2 | 14.9 | 13.9 | 5.1 | 144.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 16.9 | 11.1 | 4.5 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 10.7 | 16.7 | 62.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 82.4 | 76.7 | 63.3 | 49.3 | 44.8 | 46.8 | 50.8 | 53.1 | 59.1 | 70.6 | 82.2 | 82.3 | 63.5 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 29.6 | 57.8 | 125.1 | 157.6 | 209.0 | 213.4 | 241.6 | 233.7 | 168.6 | 88.4 | 32.9 | 25.1 | 1,582.7 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 11.3 | 20.6 | 34.0 | 38.1 | 43.5 | 43.3 | 48.6 | 51.8 | 44.3 | 26.5 | 12.2 | 10.1 | 32.0 |
| Source: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
Neighbourhoods of Revelstoke
Revelstoke has 15 officially recognized neighbourhoods:
- Arrow Heights
- Big Eddy
- Central Business
- Central Revelstoke
- Clearview Heights
- Columbia Park
- CPR Hill
- Farwell/Mountain View
- Highway Corridor
- Kelly Flats/Dalles
- Resort Lands
- South Revelstoke
- Johnson Heights
- Thomas Brook
- Westside Road
Notable People from Revelstoke
- Sophie Atkinson — An English watercolor painter and illustrator.
- Douglas Boyle — A Canadian Forces officer.
- Buck Crump — A Canadian businessman.
- Bruce Holloway — A Canadian former professional ice hockey player.
- William Stewart King — A former British Columbia politician.
- Andrew Kozek — A former professional ice hockey player.
- Peter Morales — An American former president of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
- John Nunziata — A Canadian lawyer and former politician.
- Sid Parker — A former New Democratic Party member of the Canadian House of Commons.
- Thomas Scott — A Canadian military figure and politician.
- Robert Fletcher Shaw — A Canadian businessman, academic, and civil servant.
- Aaron Volpatti — A former professional ice hockey winger.
See also
In Spanish: Revelstoke para niños
- List of francophone communities in British Columbia
- Revelstoke Secondary School
