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People Love Smithers

December 4, 2006 | Tips from Us > Smithers, Gardens & City Parks

Getting tired of the 2 hour commute to and from work? Can't afford a house in the city? These are some of the reasons why people look at living in a rural area. In Smithers, we get people inquiring on a daily basis about housing costs; what are the schools like; does Smithers have a golf course (yes, we have two)? Visitors passing through, stop at the Visitor Centre and tell us what a beautiful area we have. As residents of Smithers, we may be a little complacent about the beauty of our area but I think everyone here agrees that it is unique. Ongoing public debates rage in Smithers about possible projects including coal bed methane and WalMart. Destroying the natural beauty is the 'trump card' that every opponent uses.

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Posted by Brian , Vancouver at 12:00 AM

Smithers Visitor Centre Goes 'Mobile'

August 29, 2006 | Tips from Us > Smithers, Cruising

As most Visitor Centre staff know, not all visitors--for one reason or another--don't go to the Visitor Centre. In Smithers, we understood this but wanted to do something about it. We created the Smithers "VIBE". "VIBE" stands for Visitor Information Bettering Our Economy. It's a pilot project to measure the effectiveness of of a mobile Visitor Centre. And so far, we've had very encouraging results. Staffed by two Visitor Counsellors, our specially equipped van visits our airport, railway and bus station on a daily basis. Together with an identifiable tent, we also set up at 'touristy' spots around town and at special events. VIBE is entirely sponsored by chamber members. In return, they receive special advertising privileges such as decals on the van and radio and tv ads. We're looking forward to continue the VIBE next summer.

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Posted by Brian , Vancouver at 12:00 AM

Smithers Gears Up For Steelhead Fishing

August 29, 2006 | Tips from Us > Smithers, Fishing
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What do autumn leaves mean to you--back to school; end of summer holidays? To me, it means steelhead fishing in the Bulkley River. The Bulkley River, running through the Town of Smithers, is a tributary of the Skeena River, the watershed of the entire northwest BC. The steelhead is a river-going rainbow trout. But because it spends part of each year in the Pacific Ocean, it can grow to 25 pounds or more. Given muscles of this size and a rainbow trout's athleticism, it's little wonder why people from all over the world come to Smithers each fall. Fly fishing (both wet and dry) is the most popular technique for steelhead fishing although fishing with 'gear' is popular, too. Catch and release is standard on the Skeena 'system' and special conservation tags are required for many of the tributaries of the Skeena.

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Posted by Brian , Vancouver at 12:00 AM

Smithers is Hockeyville

March 18, 2006 | Tips from Us > Smithers, Festivals & Events

Community energy is running high in Smithers' bid to become Canada's "Hockeyville". What started out as an idea around a table at a local pub, is now consuming the whole community. The creative energy and enthusiasm is is really remarkable. Businesses are supporting Hockeyville almost without excpetion--storefronts are decorated; signs hang everywhere; staff serve customers in either red or white "Smithers is Hockeyville" jerseys. Last week, a CBC film crew were in town for 2 days. Besides filming the energy in the downtown core, they were tranported up to Hudson Bay Mountain to film a women's hockey game played at over 5 000 feet. We expect this is a world record for women's hockey at this altitude. Smithers is on a role! Last week on CBC Television, a local family was judged to have the best 'backyard rink' in Canada. The feeling around town is that we're going to make the top 50 entries for "Hockeyville" and we have a good chance of winning. Move over Smithers--here comes "Hockeyville".

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Posted by Brian , Vancouver at 12:00 AM