Midway, British Columbia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Village of Midway | |
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| Motto: Between the Mountains and the Sea | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  British Columbia |
| Region | Boundary Country |
| Regional district | Kootenay-Boundary |
| Founded | 1893 |
| Incorporated | 1967 |
| Government | |
| - Governing body | Midway Village Council |
| - Mayor | Marguerite Rotvold |
| Area | |
| - Total | 12.16 km² (4.7 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 578 m (1,896 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| - Total | 621 |
| Time zone | PST (UTC-8) |
| Highways | 3 |
| Waterways | Kettle River |
Midway ( ) is a village located in southern British Columbia in the West Kootenay region. It is located 13 km west of Greenwood and 51 km east of Osoyoos along Highway 3.
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[edit] History
Originally known as Boundary City, the land was purchased by the Midway Town site Company. The Company divided the land into lots and sold each for about $100. The name was changed by the owner, RC Adams, a few years later.
A year after its establishment, an elementary school was built.
The town was slowly populated. During mining booms in the 1890s, the population reached up to 6000. Midway also expanded in 1899 with the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway, making it a centre point for the distribution of ore.
[edit] Government
Midway's local government consists of a mayor and four councillors elected to four year terms. The current mayor is Marguerite Rotvold. The councillors are Gail Bryan, Dick Dunsdon, Randy Kappes and Pat Kelly. Rotvold's predecessor, James McMynn, was the longest serving mayor in Canada, retiring after 38 years.
Representation for school board is elected to School District 51 Boundary which is based in Grand Forks. It operates two schools in Midway; Boundary Central Secondary School and Midway Elementary School.
[edit] Local Attractions
Midway is Mile Zero of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, a popular wilderness cycling trail which follows the rail be of the old Kettle Valley Railroad. At the trail's start, the Village of Midway operates the Kettle Valley Museum which highlights the life of early Boundary Country settlers. Notable museum features include a windmill from the Bubar farm that was originally purchased from the T. Eaton Co.
Construction of a bunk house has been started. When complete, the bunkhouse will offer accommodations for cyclists using the trail.
The Midway Curling Club is a popular destination for Boundary Area curlers. A hockey rink next door is popular with local youth. The curling rink is home to the Boundary District Curling Club
In McMynn park two trees have grown together after being entwined together when the village was young. Because of its border immediately adjacent to the American border, the trees were entwined as saplings in order to celebrate the varied cross border relationships which characterize the town.
Tubing the Kettle River is a popular summer activity, and the village maintains a stock of inner tubes at Frank Carpenter Memorial Park. The park is also a local campground, and is particularly popular with recreational vehicle owners traveling through.
Midway features a grass airstrip suitable for small planes. Hangers were added in 2005 to the airstrip. Plans exist for a paved runway, but the completion date is uncertain at this point.
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