New Denver Explained

New Denver
Official Name:The Corporation of the Village of New Denver[1]
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Canada British Columbia
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of New Denver in British Columbia
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Canada
Subdivision Type1:Province
Subdivision Name1:British Columbia
Subdivision Type2:Region
Subdivision Name2:Slocan Valley, West Kootenay
Subdivision Type3:Regional district
Subdivision Name3:Central Kootenay
Leader Title:Governing body
Leader Name:New Denver Village Council
Leader Title1:Mayor
Leader Name1:Leonard Casley
Leader Title2:CAO
Leader Name2:Md. Ashraf Alam
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1892
Established Title2:Incorporated
Established Date2:1929
Area Total Km2:0.87
Population As Of:2016
Population Total:473
Population Density Km2:543.7
Timezone:PST
Utc Offset:-8
Coordinates:49.9914°N -117.3719°W
Elevation M:560
Area Code:250, 778, 236, & 672
Blank Name:Highways
Blank Info:
Blank1 Name:Waterways
Blank1 Info:Slocan Lake

New Denver is a village in the Central Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada at the mouth of Carpenter Creek, on the east shore of Slocan Lake, in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The village is 47km (29miles) west of Kaslo on Highway 31A, and 47km (29miles) southeast of Nakusp and 32km (20miles) northeast of Slocan on Highway 6.[2]

Project ZomboidModification "Slocan Lake,BC" adds New Denver and Rosebery into the game

Name origin

In 1892, the town was mostly called Slocan City or Slocan for about a month, Eldorado City or Eldorado for about seven months, and New Denver since. However, these names were used interchangeably for months.[3] Furthermore, the place may have been known as Carpenter Creek townsite after its founding in 1891.[4]

Appearing about the same time as the Slocan community at the foot of the lake, it is unclear why the latter prevailed in keeping the name. Until the government survey in mid 1892, the place was a squatters camp for miners. Named for El Dorado, the legendary city of gold, the surrounding mines were hoped to bring comparable prosperity. On discovering the mines were silver deposits, the name changed to reflect the famed silver mines of Denver, Colorado.[5]

History

New Denver was an early service center for mines and the nearby mining towns. It could be reached by boat, and a stagecoach ran every two days to Nakusp, and every four days to Nelson.[6] In 1895, Denver Canyon became a stop on the former Nakusp and Slocan Railway. The settlement was incorporated as a village in 1929. After the decline in mining, forestry became the economic base, and tourism in more recent times.

Japanese internment during World War II

One of nine West Kootenay internment centres for Japanese Canadians during World War II (following removal from the BC Coast), by 1942 the camp held 1,505 Japanese Canadians, who built 275 shacks in a fruit grove known as the "Orchard."[7] Other internment centres in the Slocan region were nearby at Slocan City, Lemon Creek, Rosebery, Kaslo and Sandon.

New Denver's Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre is dedicated to the history of the 27,000 interned Japanese Canadians, and is a National Historic Site.

Doukhobor residential school

For decades Freedomites refused to send their Doukhobor children to school. After multiple warnings, the government forcibly removed such children from their families. Operating 1953–1959, about 170 children, aged 7–15, passed through the New Denver facility but attended the public school. Although parents were allowed twice-monthly visits, most chose instead to speak to their children through the wire fence.[8]

Zincton resort controversy

In May 2020, New Denver resident David Harley, owner of Valhalla Pure Outfitters, proposed building a 55-acre "world-class, all-season, backcountry-oriented" resort called Zincton between New Denver and Kaslo.[9] Those promoting Zincton claim the resort will create jobs and do much to remedy economic and social decline in the area.[10] The proposed site is in a critical wildlife corridor connecting Goat Range and Kokanee Provincial Parks and is also prime grizzly bear habitat; opponents fear the resort's negative ecological impact.[11] Of the 3000 emailed comments received by British Columbia's Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development regarding Zincton, 2300 opposed building the resort.[12]

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, New Denver had a population of 487 living in 248 of its 304 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 473. With a land area of, it had a population density of in 2021.[13]

Communications

The town is notable for its resistance to mobile phones. In a 2008 referendum, many citizens voted against the introduction of cellular telephone service.[14] Despite this, on 20 July 2010, Telus Canada began installation of a cell phone facility in the heart of the village, with many citizens peacefully protesting the installation.[15]

Flora and fauna

2019 saw a drastic increase in New Denver's native roof rat population. The Norwegian rat was introduced to the area the same year and is thought to have arrived by transport truck from other regions.[16] Council members blamed the infestation on local gardening and composting practices.[17]

Notable people

External links

49.9917°N -117.3714°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: British Columbia Regional Districts, Municipalities, Corporate Name, Date of Incorporation and Postal Address . British Columbia Ministry of Communities, Sport and Cultural Development . . 2 November 2014.
  2. Web site: New Denver . www.ourbc.com.
  3. Web site: Nelson Star, 26 Mar 2016 . www.nelsonstar.com.
  4. Web site: Nelson Star, 2 Apr 2016 . www.nelsonstar.com.
  5. Book: British Columbia Place Names . Akrigg . G.P.V. . Akrigg . Helen B. . Vancouver . UBC Press . 1986 . 3rd, 1997 . 0-7748-0636-2.
  6. Web site: 1894 BC Directory . www.bccd.vpl.ca.
  7. Web site: New Denver Internment Camp . www.heritagebc.ca.
  8. Web site: Forced Doukhobor Schooling . www.doukhobor.org.
  9. Web site: Harley . David . Zincton: Expression of Interest . 8 December 2021 . ww2.gov.bc.
  10. News: Zincton Farms . November 14, 2021 . Op-Ed: Zincton Balances the Past with the Future . The Nelson Daily . 8 December 2021.
  11. Web site: Blackshaw . Nikki . Press Pause, Let’s Plan: Provincial petition launches in response to Zincton . 8 December 2021 . thewildconnection.ca.
  12. News: McMurray . Jan . 30 July 2020 . About 3000 comments received on Zincton proposal . 8 December 2021.
  13. Web site: Population and dwelling counts: Canada, provinces and territories, and census subdivisions (municipalities), British Columbia . . February 9, 2022 . February 20, 2022.
  14. Metcalfe, Bill. "Why a Little BC Town Wants to Banish Cell Phones", "The Tyee", 2008-03-13.
  15. News: TELUS going live with 3G+ network in New Denver, BC on September 7th. 3 September 2010. MobileSyrup. en-US.
  16. News: Shafer . Timothy . Rat problem potentially plagues Slocan Valley village; could be sign of bigger problem . 4 January 2021 . 7 October 2019.
  17. News: New Denver battling influx of rats . 4 January 2021 . 26 November 2019.