Westbank, British Columbia
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Westbank is one of many communities within the unincorporated Electoral Area Westside in the province of British Columbia. It is 12 km to the West of Kelowna, and has a population of approximately 18,000. It has numerous orchards, wineries, golf courses, and is a twenty minute drive away from Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. To the south of Westbank are the towns of Peachland and Summerland, and the city of Penticton. The Westside is home to the Westbank First Nation with two reserves in the area, IR # 9 and IR # 10. There are approximately 8,000 non-natives on Westbank First Nation land on the Westside, in addition to the 28,900 on non first nation land.
The Westside is part of School District 23 Central Okanagan. Electoral Area Westside is made up of several communities which includes Casa loma, West Kelowna Estates, Shannon Lake, Glenrosa, Westbank Rose Valley and Lakeview Heights - a total population of about 30,000. Lakeview Heights is home to the centrally located Mount Boucherie Secondary Schoolalong with the Westsides' Mount Bouceherie Multiplex Centre housing Mount Boucherie Community Centre, Jim Lind Arena, home to the BCHL team the Westside Warriors, and future Royal LePage Place. As well, the Westside includes two Middle schools; Constable Neil Bruceand Glenrosa Middle schools. There are many well situated elementary schools serving the Westside.
Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre is the main recreational facility in Westbank. It includes a 25m Swimming Pool, a Whirl Pool, a Steam Room, a gym, and an exercise area, as well as a skateboard park. The YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club operate in Westbank supported by the Westside. There are many beaches along Okanagan Lake and numerous sports fields. In the fall of 2006 'big-box' shopping centre was opened on Westbank First Nation land. This new shopping area is called the "Hub Centre" in honour of the former resident of the area, a hub cap shop. Numerous other commercial and residential developments are planned both on and off Reserve.
Electoral Area Westside is part of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, the local governing body.
The residents of the Westside created a government sanctioned Westside Governance Restructure Study committee to to examine in detail three alternative governance structures for the Westside, including:
- Continuation as an unincorporated area
- Incorporation as a stand-alone municipality
- Join with Kelowna through Boundary Extension
A referendum is expected as early as 2007.
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Subdivisions of British Columbia|
Alberni-Clayoquot · Bulkley-Nechako · Capital · Cariboo · Central Coast · Central Kootenay · Central Okanagan · Columbia-Shuswap · Comox-Strathcona · Cowichan Valley · East Kootenay · Fraser Valley · Fraser-Fort George · Greater Vancouver · Kitimat-Stikine · Kootenay Boundary · Mount Waddington · Nanaimo · North Okanagan · Northern Rockies · Okanagan-Similkameen · Peace River · Powell River · Skeena-Queen Charlotte · Squamish-Lillooet · Stikine · Sunshine Coast · Thompson-Nicola |
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Principal urban centres |
Abbotsford · Kamloops · Kelowna · Nanaimo · Prince George · Vancouver · Victoria |
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Large suburban communities |
Burnaby · Coquitlam · Delta · Langley Township · North Vancouver District · Richmond · Saanich · Surrey |
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Other major centres |
Campbell River · Chilliwack · Courtenay · Cranbrook · Fort St. John · Penticton · Port Alberni · Salmon Arm · Vernon |
