Dawson Creek, British Columbia

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For the TV series, see Dawson's Creek. For the town at the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush, see Dawson City, Yukon.

Dawson Creek
Location of Dawson Creek within the Peace River Regional District in British Columbia, Canada
Area	20.66 km²
Population	11,290
Location	55°45′38.9″N, 120°14′08.2″W
Altitude	665 metres
Incorporation	1936
Province	British Columbia
Regional District	Peace River
MP	Jay Hill
MLA	Blair Lekstrom
Mayor	Calvin Kruk
Time zone	MST (UTC-7)
Postal code	V1G
Area Code	250
Official website: City of Dawson Creek

The City of Dawson Creek is a small city in northeastern British Columbia, Canada. It covers an area of 20.66 km² with a 2004 population of 11,394 people.^[1] Dubbed "The Capital of the Peace", it is the service centre for the rural areas south of the Peace River and the seat of the Peace River Regional District. Four provincial highways from north and south Alberta and British Columbia meet in Dawson Creek.

Dawson Creek derived its name from the creek of the same name that runs through the city. The creek was named after George Mercer Dawson by a member of his land survey team when they passed through the area in August 1879.^[2] The city is best known as the "Mile 0 City", a nickname derived from its location at the southern end of the Alaska Highway.

Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Economy 4 Transportation and infrastructure 5 Geography and climate 6 Culture and recreation 7 Government and politics 8 References 9 External links

[edit] History

Dawson Creek was one of the farming communities established by European-Canadian settlers moving west through the Peace River Country. When homestead grants began to be issued to settlers in 1912 by the Canadian government the pace of migration increased. With the opening of a few stores and hotels in 1919 and the incorporation of the Dawson Creek Co-operative Union on 28 May 1921, Dawson Creek became a dominant business centre for the area.^[3]

After much speculation by land owners and investors, the Northern Alberta Railways built its terminus 3 km (2 miles) from the Dawson Creek.^[4] The golden spike was driven on 29 December 1930, and the first passenger train arrived on 15 January 1931. The arrival of the railway and the construction of grain elevators attracted more settlers and business to the settlement. The need to provide services for the rapidly growing community allowed Dawson Creek to become incorporated as a village in 1936. In 1939, as World War II was beginning, refugees from the Sudetenland arrived in the region and settled on land bought from the Canadian Pacific Railway and held in trust by the Canadian Colonization Association.^[5] As a result, the community's population exceeded 500 people in 1941,^[6] but by 1943 the population numbered in the thousands. The village rapidly developed in 1942, as thousands of American army troops, engineers and contractors poured into the city—which had become the terminal of rail transport—to construct the Alaska Highway.

In 1951, with the completion of the highway and the workers long since gone, the population of the town was 3,500. Population and economic growth continued throughout the decade. In 1953, western Canada's largest propane gas plant was built^[7] and federal government offices were established in town. In 1954 the John Hart Highway, and an associated rail line, was opened which linked the town to the British Columbia Interior and Lower Mainland through the Rocky Mountains. The village was re-incorporated as a city in 1958 as the population had more than tripled between 1951 and 1961.

Growth slowed in the 1960s, and the population reached a peak of 12,392 in 1966. In the 1970s, the provincial government established offices in the city, Northern Lights College opened a Dawson Creek campus, and the Dawson Creek Mall was constructed. Several modern grain elevators were built, and the town's five wooden grain elevators, nicknamed "Elevator Row", were dismantled. Only one of the historic elevators remain today, converted to an art gallery. Since the 1970s, the town's population and economy have not significantly increased. This is primarily because the nearby town of Fort St. John became a centre for industrial development, and Grande Prairie a commercial hub.

Since 1991, the city has undergone three boundary expansions. The first incorporated undeveloped land in the southeast around a proposed veneer factory by Louisiana-Pacific Canada. However, with the factory only half-built, the company abandoned its plans after the city extended sewer and water lines to the location. The second expansion incorporated an existing Louisiana-Pacific Canada oriented strand board factory in the northwest corner of town, while the third incorporated undeveloped land south of the airport for future commercial or industrial use.

[edit] Demographics

The 1941 census, the first to include Dawson Creek as a defined subdivision, counted 518 residents. The second census, in 1951, recorded a seven-fold increase to 3,589 residents. Five years later, the 1956 census recorded 7,531 residents.^[11] This rapid growth occurred because the city was the southern rail terminus for transshipment from trucks-to-train during the construction of the Alaska Highway. Growth continued throughout the 1950s and 1960s as a new highway to southern B.C. made the city a crossroads between British Columbia and Alberta. However, since the late 1970s, Dawson Creek's population has remained stable.

According to the 2001 Canadian census,^[12] there were 10,740 people living in the city in 4,410 households. Of these households, 30% were one-person households, 26% were married couples with children, and 26% were married couples without children (provincial averages were 27%, 27%, and 29%, respectively). The median age of Dawson Creek's population is 34.0 years old, younger than the B.C. median of 38.4 years, with 22.4% of its residents under the age of 15, more than B.C.'s 18.1%. Likewise, 11.1% of Dawson Creek's residents are over 65 years old, whereas 13.6% are province-wide. The dominant religion, with 37% of the population claiming adherence, is Protestantism, followed by a Catholic minority at 18%. Only 2.8% of residents claimed to be a visible minority, which is significantly lower than the 21% provincial average.

In 2004, the twenty-one officer Dawson Creek Royal Canadian Mounted Police municipal detachment reported 2,603 Criminal Code of Canada offenses. This translated into a crime rate of 231 Criminal Code offenses per 1,000 people, much higher than the provincial average of 125 offenses per 1,000 people. During that year, on the per 1,000 people basis, the city had higher crime rates compared to the provincial averages on all criminal code offenses except theft from motor vehicles (19.8 city, 20.2 provincially), heroin-related (0 city, 0.13 provincially), and murder (0 city, 0.03 provincially). The city had slightly higher but comparable levels of offensive weapons charges, cannabis-related, robbery, and motor vehicle thefts. However, on that same per 1,000 people basis, the city had much higher levels of shoplifting (13.8 city, 4.2 provincially), cocaine-related (7.8 city, 1.4 provincially), commercial break-and-enters (11.2 city, 4.2 provincially), residential break-and-enters (13.9 city, 6.0 provincially), and non-sexual assaults (26.2 city, 9.9 provincially).^[13]

[edit] Economy

The economy of Dawson Creek is based around four major industries: agriculture, retail, tourism, and oil and gas. Agriculture has historically been the most important industry to Dawson Creek, as the city is a transshipment point for agricultural products. The city is surrounded by the Agricultural Land Reserve, where the soil produces consistently good yields of quality grain and grass crops, such as wheat, oats, rye, barley, flax, hay, alfalfa and sweet clover.^[14] Livestock is important to the region, but less so since the 2003–2005 Canadian BSE crisis. Dawson Creek has a large service and retail sector that caters to both the rural community and the city's inhabitants. However, significant retail leakage occurs to Grande Prairie, the closest major Albertan city, where the government does not charge provincial taxes on retail purchases, while B.C. charges 7%. The problem of leakage has been exacerbated in recent years by the introduction of large-format retail stores into the small city. Residents still cross the border for high-priced items but now also purchase the medium- and low-priced items from foreign-owned large-format chain stores.

Dawson Creek has a large tourism industry as Mile '0' of the Alaska Highway. Thousands of people drive on the Alaska Highway every year, starting in Dawson Creek and ending in Fairbanks, Alaska. This trek often occurs with recreational vehicles, sometimes in convoys which first gather in the city. In the winter, the hospitality industry caters to workers from the oil patches. Discoveries south of Dawson Creek^[15] and higher energy prices have caused the oil and gas activities, which have driven the nearby Fort St. John, economy to spill over to the Dawson Creek economy.

According to the 2001 Canadian census, Dawson Creek's unemployment rate was 10.4%, and its participation rate was 69.5%, compared with provincial rates of 8.5% unemployment and 65.2% participation. Higher participation rates indicate more people in the city are employed or are seeking employment, while higher unemployment rates suggest that there are not enough jobs to satisfy demand. The employment rate may be affected by the city's dominant industries, which involve seasonal and unstable (year-to-year) jobs in processing, mining and agricultural products, as well as oil and gas drilling. The incidence of low income in private households was lower, at 16.5%, than the 17.8% provincial average.

[edit] Transportation and infrastructure

Dawson Creek's road network was laid out in the mid-20th century as the town rapidly expanded. The city maintains 83 km (52 mi) of paved and 15 km (9 mi) of unpaved roads^[16] in mostly a grid pattern of large blocks of land connected to one another by only a few intersections, for example at a bridge or railway crossing. Because there are many internal intersections with stops signs in the grid pattern, traffic is forced onto two arterial roads: 8 Street going north–south and Alaska Avenue going southeast–northwest. These two arterial roads meet at a traffic circle where a metal statue marks the beginning of the Alaska Highway. Despite the designation of B.C. highway 2, south and west of town, as a "dangerous goods route", many industrial trucks also use these arterials, which often slows traffic and damages the roads. Highways emanating from Dawson Creek include highway 2 (south to Grande Prairie and southern Alberta), highway 49 (east to Peace River and northern Alberta), highway 97S (southeast to Chetwynd and Prince George) and highway 97N (north to Fort St. John, British Columbia and the Yukon).

Dawson Creek is a regional node for air, rail and bus services. The Dawson Creek Airport, which services commercial flights by Hawkair and Central Mountain Air, was built in 1963 and had its 1,524 m (5,000 ft) runway paved in 1966. There are larger airports in Fort St. John and Grande Prairie that maintain a more comprehensive flight schedule than that available in Dawson Creek. Passenger rail service was available in Dawson Creek between 1931 and 1974. This passenger service began with the Northern Alberta Railways building its northwest terminus in the town and was extended in 1958 to Vancouver with a rail line through the Rocky Mountains. Passenger rail service ended in 1974 as commodity shipments of grains, oil and gas by-products, and forestry products became more important in the resource-based economy. Greyhound Bus lines maintains a bus station in Dawson Creek which connects the city to Vancouver, Edmonton (via Grande Prairie) and Whitehorse (via Fort Nelson).

The city draws its water supply from the Kiskatinaw River, 18 km (11 mi) west of town. Before reaching the city the water is pumped through a settling pond, two storage ponds, and a treatment plant where it is flocculated, filtered and chlorinated. The City also provides drinking water for Pouce Coupe and rural residents. Sewage is processed by a lagoon system east of town.^[15]

Dawson Creek is located in School District 59 Peace River South which maintains five elementary schools (Tremblay, Parkhill, Frank Ross, Crescent Park, and Canalta elementary schools), one middle school (Central Middle School) and one high school (South Peace Secondary School). Established in 1975, Northern Lights College's main campus is located in Dawson Creek and offers diplomas for two-year programs and degrees from the University of Northern British Columbia.

[edit] Geography and climate

Dawson Creek is flat, with only the northeastern corner elavated above the rest of the city. The creek from which the city takes its name runs east-west through the middle of the city, though it is no longer used by fish. According to the Canada Land Inventory the city is on soil that has moderate limitations, due to an adverse climate, that restrict the range of crops or require moderate conservation practices.^[17]

Dawson Creek is located in the southwestern part of the Peace River Country, 72 km (45 miles) southeast of Fort St. John, and 134 km (83 miles) northwest of Grande Prairie. It is in the B.C. Peace Lowland ecosection of the Canadian Boreal Plains ecozone on the continental Interior Platform. The city, located in the Cordillera Climatic Region, has a subhumid low boreal ecoclimate.

In the summer the city is often dusty and dry. Heavy rain showers are sporadic, lasting only a few minutes. The average precipitation in July is 83.5 mm with an average temperature of 15.2 ºC. In the winter the city can get bitterly cold and dry. It gets an average snowfall of 171 cm per year with a January average of 33 cm and −14.7 ºC. The city is subject to very heavy winds year round.^[18] The area uses Mountain Standard Time year round since it already has long daylight hours in the summer and short daylight hours in the winter.

[edit] Culture and recreation

The culture of Dawson Creek is centered around its designation as Mile '0' of the Alaska Highway. The Mile '0' post, as depicted in the flag, is located in the historic downtown area, one block south of the Northern Alberta Railways Park. This four acre, mostly paved, park is the gathering point for travellers and the official beginning of the Alaska highway. The park also includes the Dawson Creek Art Gallery which exhibits works from local artists and craftsmen. The Station Museum, connected to the art gallery, displays artifacts and exhibits associated with the construction of NAR railway and the Alaska highway. Other parks in Dawson Creek include the Mile Zero Rotary Park and the Walter Wright Pioneer Village. Annual events in the city include the Dawson Creek Symphonette and Choir, the Dawson Creek Art Gallery auction, the Dawson Creek Spring Rodeo, and the Peace Country Blue Grass Festival.^[19] The largest event, held annually since 1953, is the Dawson Creek Fall Fair & Exhibition which is a five-day professional rodeo, with a parade, fairgrounds and exhibitions.^[20]

City recreation facilities include two ice hockey arenas, a curling rink, an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor ice rink, and a speed skating oval. The South Peace Community Multiplex,^[21] a new community facility under construction on the outskirts of the city, will replace the swimming pool. The project was controversial because a referendum on the Multiplex projected a cost of CAD$21.6 million,^[22] however once construction began it was projected to cost CAD$35 million.^[23] It will be located away from residential uses but close to the Exhibition Grounds and will feature an indoor rodeo arena, convention centre, and a gambling area. Nearby Bear Mountain, located south of the city, provides over 20 km (12 miles) of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing trails, as well as, areas for downhill skiing and about 500 km (300 miles) of trails for snowmobiles, mountain bikes and all-terrain vehicles.

Dawson Creek is served with several regional newspapers. The Peace River Block Daily News and the Alaska Highway News, both part of the Canwest Global chain of local papers, are dailies available in Dawson Creek. However, the Peace River Block Daily News is published in town and focuses more on Dawson Creek news whereas the Alaska Highway News is published in Fort St. John. The Northeast News is a free weekly published in Fort St. John but which has sub-offices in Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson. Radio stations include PEACE FM, CJDC 890 AM (country music), 95.1 Energy FM (CHRX) and 101.5 THE BEAR (CKNL). The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation affiliate CJDC-TV is based out of Dawson Creek, and the community television station on Cable 10 is run by Shaw Communications, the local Cable Provider.

[edit] Government and politics

The City of Dawson Creek has a council-manager form of municipal government. A six member council, along with one mayor, is elected at-large every three years. The current mayor, Calvin Kruk, served on the city council for three years before being elected mayor in November 2005. Kruk defeated the incumbent, Wayne Dahlen, who was elected in November 2002. Two school board trustees, for representation on School District 59, are also elected by the city. The city funds its own fire department, which covers the city plus 5 miles into the rural areas, but contracts police work to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.^[24]

Dawson Creek is situated in the Peace River South provincial electoral district and is represented by Blair Lekstrom in the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Lekstrom is a former mayor of Dawson Creek, elected in 1996 and 1999. In the 2001 provincial election he was elected as the district's Member of the Legislative Assembly with 67% support from Dawson Creek polls^[25] and re-elected in 2005 with 57% support^[26] from the city. Before Lekstrom, Peace River South was represented by Jack Weisgerber. Weisgerber was originally elected as a member of the Social Credit Party in 1986 and served as the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources and Minister of Native Affairs. While his party lost power, Weisgerber was re-elected in 1991, and he served as party leader in 1992-1993. In 1996 Weisgerber won re-election again but as leader of the Reform Party of British Columbia even though Dawson Creek polls put him in third place behind the BC Liberal Party and New Democratic Party candidates in a close race.^[27]

Federally, Dawson Creek is located in the Prince George—Peace River riding. The riding is represented in the Canadian House of Commons by Conservative Party Member of Parliament Jay Hill. Before Hill, who was first elected in 1993, the riding was represented by Progressive Conservative Frank Oberle. Oberle served as its MP for 20 years, between 1972-1993. Like the rest of the riding in recent elections, Dawson Creek voters heavily favour the conservative candidates.

Canadian federal election 2006: Dawson Creek polls in Prince George—Peace River[28]
Party		Candidate	Votes	city %	riding %
	Conservative	Jay Hill	2,532	64%	60%
	New Democrat	Malcolm Crockett	653	16%	17%
	Liberal	Nathan Bauder	489	12%	16%
	Green	Hilary Crowley	265	6.7%	6.4%
	Independent	Donna Young	45	1.1%	0.9%

B.C. election 2005: Dawson Creek polls in Peace River South[26]
Party		Candidate	Votes	city %	riding %
	BC Liberal	Blair Lekstrom	2,167	57%	58%
	New Democrat	Pat Shaw	1,314	34%	33%
	Green	Ariel Lade	338	8.9%	9.5%

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Alaska Highway News
• Calverley Collection – history of the Peace River Region of British Columbia and Alberta.
• Dawson Creek Library
• Dawson Creek watershed study (pdf)
• DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com The visitors guide to Dawson Creek and other communities in the Peace Country in British Columbia and Alberta
• Environment Canada's 5 day weather forecast
• Peace River Block News Daily
• South Peace Community Multiplex