Fruitvale

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Nestled in the mountains of the beautiful West Kootenays amidst spectacular natural scenery is the town of Fruitvale, the Heart of the Beaver Valley. Fruitvale is one of five municipalities that encompass the area known as Greater Trail. Rossland, Warfield, Trail and Montrose are the others.

Formerly a railway stop for the Great Northern Railroad, Fruitvale was originally named Beaver Siding because of the large number of beavers found in the area (surprise, surprise!). Longtime residents can remember prolific beaver dam building, to such an extent that they caused the creek to overflow and flood the road.

Following the acquisition of most of the land around Beaver Siding in 1906 by a corporation called Fruitvale Limited, the town name was changed to its present day Fruitvale. The town name played an important part in the company’s propaganda scheme, which marketed Fruitvale as the best fruit growing area in the West Kootenays.

Today, Fruitvale offers a small town, rural setting with many services and amenities for residents who work and play throughout the region.

Population: 2,083

Location: Fruitvale is located on Highway 3B in the Kootenays, 14 miles (22 km) southwest of Salmo and 10 miles (15 km) east of Trail.

Take a break from the scenic landscapes and wide open spaces, and make a stop in Fruitvale…there are some quaint little stores that will surprise and delight you!

View Historical Sites and displays at Park Siding School, Montrose and Fruitvale Village Offices, Kootenay Savings Credit Union, and Fruitvale Memorial Centre.

Beaver Falls is a beautiful waterfall located a 20-minute walk from Bluebird corner.

Children and Families: Take the kids for a picnic and let them play on the playground equipment at Creekside Community and Vale Parks. Go family bowling at BV Lanes or skating at Beaver Valley Arena.

Guided Tours are offered to Pend d’Oreille River Hydro Dam at Seven Mile. The BC Hydro reservoir doubles as a power source and an attractive public recreation destination. Activities include picnicking, swimming, boating, canoeing, wildlife viewing and fishing.

Excellent swimming and camping facilities are available at Champion Lakes Provincial Park, 18 km northwest of Fruitvale. Its three small lakes form the headwaters of Landis Creek, which flows northward to join Champion Creek, a tributary of the Columbia River.

Head east on Highway 3B to the Beaver Valley Family Park at Marsh Creek, a great place for family or group picnics. Facilities include a children’s playground, a ball field for football or soccer games, volleyball and basketball courts, horseshoe pits, hiking trails, and a fishing hole. A number of trailer and tent sites are available for camping, with water, electricity, and showers with wheelchair access. Open June 1 to the Labour Day Long Weekend. Book for the Beaver Valley Family Park at the Beaver Valley Recreation office at 250-367-9319.

Fishing: Good fishing is available on Beaver Creek, Champion Lake, the Columbia River, and other local rivers and lakes.

Beaver Creek Provincial Park is a peaceful and serene park on the Old Waneta Road (Hwy 22), situated on the east side of the Columbia River where Beaver Creek enters the river. The park offers a family campground and good fishing in the Columbia River.

Winter Activities: Cross-country skiers can ski some great cross-country trails at Champion Lakes, groomed by the Cross Country Ski Club, and snowmobilers can join the Beaver Valley Snowmobile Club for some fantastic snowmobiling. If curling is new to you, then poke your nose in to the Beaver Valley Curling Rink to see what it’s all about.

Skiing and Snowboarding: Winter vacationers can head to the Salmo Ski Hill, which provides groomed runs, gently sloping runs, moguls, steep slopes, pristine powder, racing courses, a half pipe for snowboarders, a bunny hill, and cross country ski trails. Nearby Rossland is a winter mecca for skiers, with unsurpassed snow conditions and ideal ski slopes. Rossland boasts the Olympic renowned Red Mountain Resort, site of the 1968 World Cup Races, the first ever to be held Canada, and a world-class ski facility offering outstanding alpine and cross-country skiing. Farther away is Whitewater Ski Resort, a 40-minute drive from Fruitvale. Whitewater is set in the Selkirk Range in the Kootenays, southeast of Nelson. Whitewater’s high base elevation of 1,640 metres (5,400 feet) ensures plenty of snow and a ton of light, dry powder.

Golf: The Redstone Alpine Golf Resort, formerly the Rossland Course, is a new signature Les Furber design championship course expected to rank within the top 10 resort courses in Canada. Situated in a beautiful alpine valley, and part of the charming town of Rossland, the hilly course has been designed to deliver a much sought-after mountain golf experience. The Champion Lakes Golf Course on Champion Park Road claims to give the golfer a feeling that is not found anywhere else near Fruitvale. They feature 9 holes that are ideal for all levels of golfers. The Rossland Trail Country Club, just outside the beautiful alpine community of Rossland offers the 18-hole Birchbank Course, located on the banks of the Columbia River with spectacular views of the Selkirk and Monashee Mountains. The mature, tree-lined course is loaded with holes that seem like they’ve been there forever. Opened in 1967, this championship course promises and delivers a true test of golf. Known for its large manicured greens and contoured fairways, this well maintained course offers plenty of length and some thrilling elevation changes. Golfers can also head east to the 9-hole Salmo District Golf Club on Airport Road, 3 kms south of downtown Salmo. Golf Vacations in British Columbia.

Events: The Canada Day July 1st BBQ and Volunteer Appreciation Day hosted by the Village Council at Creekside Community Park. Beaver Valley May Days festival is held annually on the last weekend in May, offering great family fun and lots of activities for children of all ages. The annual Craft Fair is held at the beginning of November in the Fruitvale Community Hall. Folks in Fruitvale kick off the Christmas season on the first Saturday in December at the annual Jingle Down Main celebration on Main Street.

Circle Tour: See the best of the area on The Okanagan and Kootenay Rockies Circle Tour. Travel the sunny interior of British Columbia, north through the Okanagan to Sicamous, following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies. From Golden, head south through the Columbia Valley to Creston, and west through Boundary Country and the Southern Okanagan to complete the loop.
Circle Tours in British Columbia.

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