Travel Article: Prince George: A Vibrant Hub of B.C.'s North

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Prince George Boasts Towering Forestry¹	�

As visitors make their way to the city regarded as �British Columbia's Northern Capital,� they will encounter an interesting welcome by its official mascot. At the entrance to Prince George stands Mr. P.G., a permanently smiling log figure who greets newcomers to the area. One quick look at this towering structure is enough to give visitors a sense of how important the forestry industry is to Prince George, but as they drive further they will discover there are many more sides to this special city. Not only is Prince George a strong forestry community, but it is also a place full of history and culture, a major transportation hub, a centre for higher learning and a city that offers intriguing tourist attractions.

HISTORY & ECONOMY

Situated on the junction of the Nechako and Fraser rivers, the Prince George area looked like an ideal location to establish a fur trading post when explorer Simon Fraser first caught sight of it in 1807. The area set in lush green forest along the river was called Fort George, after George III of England. Although the settlement was ideal for fur trading, it took almost a century for the centre's population to truly flourish. In the early 1900s, the settlement's population drastically increased with construction of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway route, which passed through the community on its way from Winnipeg to Prince Rupert. As the settlement's growth continued it was decided that a new name was in order and in 1915, through a referendum, the name Prince George emerged, most likely after Prince George, the Duke of Kent.

Presently, the main industry in Prince George's economy is the forestry sector. Although sawmills and pulp mills dominate the city's landscape, chemical plants, an oil refinery and machine shops also contribute significantly to the city's economy. Since Prince George is located along a major transportation route, there are several stores and restaurants in the area as well.

Prince George is also a sought after location for higher education. The community is home to two post-secondary institutions, the College of New Caledonia and the University of Northern British Columbia.

CLIMATE

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�	Snowmobiling is Popular in Winter²

In comparison to the province's most populated city, Vancouver, the Prince George area typically features snowier winters and cooler summers. The city is at its chilliest and snowiest in January. During this month the area offers an average temperature of around -9�C (16�F) and receives about 60 cm (24 in) of snow. January might be the snowiest time of the year, but June is typically the wettest when the city usually encounters 65 mm of precipitation. July is Prince George's warmest and sunniest month. During July, the city charts its highest average daily temperature for the year at 15�C (59�F) and the most hours of sunshine at approximately 292 hours.

TRANSPORTATION

Getting There
Centrally located in the interior of British Columbia, Prince George is a busy transportation hub, offering locals and visitors access via various forms of transport.

The Prince George Airport features frequent flights from the country's two largest airline companies, Air Canada and West Jet, as well as scheduled and charter services to smaller communities in the province with Central Mountain Air and Northern Thunderbird Air.

By road, Prince George is 787 km (489 mi) north of Vancouver on Highway 97, and 691 km (432 mi) east of the north coast port city of Prince Rupert along Highway 16. If driving from neighbouring province, Alberta, Highway 16 leads 739 km (459 mi) west to Prince George from Alberta's capital city, Edmonton. Other land transportation choices include routes to the city from British Columbian and Albertan centres by train with VIA Rail Canada and by bus with Greyhound.

Getting Around
Once in Prince George, visitors can easily manoeuvre around the city via the Prince George Transit System. The transit system runs seven days a week and offers buses to the city's main attractions. There are also several taxi companies and rental car services that operate within the community.

FEATURED ATTRACTIONS


Autumn on Fraser River³	�

Connaught Hill Park
It's not an uncommon sight when visiting Connaught Hill Park to see photographers at work. They may be zooming in on bright pink, yellow, red and purple flowers in the park's spectacular floral display, photographing the view of the city or perhaps even using the park as the backdrop for wedding pictures. The park, which sits perched high on a hill top, offers a 360-degree panorama over Prince George, spacious picnic areas and a variety of meticulously well-kept flower beds. As visitors explore the grounds they can take in a different view of the city with each step. For instance, the north end of the park overlooks downtown Prince George, while the east side reveals a great vista of the Fraser River.

Prince George Railway and Forest Industry Museum
Located next to Cottonwood Island Nature Park, the Prince George Railway and Forest Industry Museum features an extensive collection of railway artifacts. Visitors can learn how the railway has progressed by viewing vintage rail cars and locomotives, and brush up on their forest industry knowledge at the same time through exhibits like the chain saw display. There is also a selection of structures located on the grounds to tour through, such as the Heritage Fire Hall, which displays antique firefighting equipment. A perfect conclusion to the day is a ride aboard the museum's own miniature railway. The Cottonwood Railway passes by several of the centre's exhibits as it makes its way through a tunnel and bee hive burner.

Two Rivers Gallery
Housed inside a unique building that is a work of art in itself, the Two Rivers Gallery displays work by modern British Columbian artists. The building's futuristic architecture is inspired by the geography and industry of the Prince George area. Its sloped roof design represents the cut banks and riverbed of the Nechako and Fraser rivers. As visitors browse through the 1,858-sq-m (20,000 sq ft) gallery they can view original paintings, photography, prints, drawings and mixed media. Throughout the year, the gallery hosts live art auctions and several exhibitions.

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�	Elk Roam Prince George's Forests⁴

The Exploration Place
At The Exploration Place, visitors can step way back in time and stand next to a realistic model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skull or watch in amazement as a Struthiomimus and an Albertosaurus converse. The science centre and museum's palaeontology gallery takes guests on a journey back over 70 million years to the time when Prince George was under water and dinosaurs roamed the earth. The gallery also displays the skeletons of two ancient marine reptiles that most likely inhabited the area. Other galleries to explore include the children's gallery, the First Nations gallery, Ted William's History Hall, the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame and the Explorations Gallery. The Explorations Gallery examines living things and showcases over 30 different species.

If you enjoyed this feature, take a look at these great WorldWeb.com articles:
� Moose Jaw: A Small City With A Big Past
� Welcome to Red Deer: The Friendly River City

PHOTOS COURTESY OF:

Forest Treetops; BC, Canada
Snowmobiling is a Popular Winter Sport in Prince George; BC, Canada
Autumn on Fraser River; BC, Canada
A Bull Elk; BC, Canada

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Prince George: A Vibrant Hub of B.C.'s North