Crawford Bay is a community of approximately 350 people, situated in the Purcell mountain range on the eastern shore of

Kootenay Lake Kootenay Lake is a lake located in British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Kootenay River. The lake has been raised by the Corra Linn Dam and has a dike system at the southern end, which, along with industry in the 1950s–70s, has changed th ...

in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. This location on Highyway 3A is by road north of Creston and by road and ferry northeast across

from Nelson.

History, geography, demographics and economy

The region is part of the traditional territories of the Sinixt and Ktunaxa peoples. The Ktunaxa name for the bay is , meaning "where the lake goes inland." Prospector and trapper, James Crawford, whom the Ktunaxa called White Man Jim, reportedly gave his name to the bay and creek. However, the settlement itself was Cocklethorpe for the first decade, named after Joseph William Cockle, who obtained the first preemption in 1889.

Arts, culture, attractions and sports

Crawford Bay plays host to a music festival each July. The Starbelly Jam, an annual event since 1999, is a weekend outdoor music festival featuring a wide variety of musical styles. The village centre, along Highway 3A, is home to a collection of working artisan studios including: a forge, broommaker, potters, weavers, copper enamellist, leatherworkers, and jewellers. Crawford Bay hosts an annual autumn agricultural fair, The Kootenay Lake Fall Fair, which dates back to 1910 and features a juried display of locally grown produce, homemade goods and artistic creations. Kokanee Springs Golf Resort, located within Crawford Bay, is a championship 18-hole course designed by

Norman H. Woods Norman H. Woods (1908–1987) was an important North American golf course architect who designed many courses in Canada and the United States. He apprenticed under course designer Stanley Thompsonhttp://www.golfcanada.com/course-reviews/british-co ...

in 1968.

Government and infrastructure

A good Gray Creek–Crawford Bay– Kootenay Bay trail was constructed in 1908, improving the steep trail over the ridge separating the latter two places. The ridge trail upgraded to a wagon road in 1912. The Creston–Kuskonook road was extended northward in 1927, reaching Gray Creek in 1931. Kuskonook–Kootenay Bay was upgraded to a highway and paved 1947–1949. The Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) is the local governing body for Crawford Bay. The village lies within Electoral Area A in the RDCK and the current director for Area A is Garry Jackman. Provincially, Crawford Bay lies within the electoral riding of Nelson-Creston, currently represented in the

provincial legislature In South Africa, a provincial legislature is the legislative branch of the government of a province.'' Chapter 6: Provinces'', Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. The provincial legislatures are unicameral and vary in size from 30 ...

by NDP MLA

Michelle Mungall Michelle Mungall is a Canadian politician, who represented the Nelson-Creston electoral district Legislative Assembly of British Columbia from 2009 to 2020. She is a member of the British Columbia New Democratic Party (BC NDP) and was first ele ...

. Federally, Crawford Bay is part of the Kootenay-Columbia riding, currently represented by NDP MP Wayne Stetski.

Education and media

The local Crawford Bay School, offers kindergarten to

Grade 12 Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

and serves the entire eastern shore of

. In 2009, with the old school at the end of its lifetime and no longer adequate for the communities' needs, a new school building was constructed on a larger piece of land nearby. It became the first school in British Columbia to meet the

LEED Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

Green Building Rating System requirements. The school design also received a "Wood WORKS! Community Recognition Award" from the Canada Wood Council. Also serving the "east shore" community, which includes Crawford Bay, is a local newspaper called ''The Eastshore Mainstreet''. The paper is published monthly and focuses on local issues and events. Kokanee Springs Golf Course

Notable residents

Baba Brinkman Dirk Murray Brinkman (born October 22, 1978) is a Canadian rapper and playwright best known for recordings and performances that combine hip hop music with literature, theatre, and science. Early life and education Born in the remote communi ...

, Canadian rapper and playwright born in the nearby town of

Riondel Riondel is on the eastern shore of Kootenay Lake in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. The village of approximately 250 people is on Riondel Road about north of Kootenay Bay, British Columbia, Kootenay Bay, the Kootenay Lak ...

and a graduate of Crawford Bay School. *Tom "Comet" Hulland, stunt performer and special effects artist born in the area. Tom has worked with

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...

Penn and Teller Penn may refer to: Places England * Penn, Buckinghamshire * Penn, West Midlands United States * Penn, North Dakota * Penn, Oregon * Pennsylvania ** Penn, Pennsylvania * Penn Lake Park, Pennsylvania * Penn Township (disambiguation), several munic ...

and Sir Richard Branson, among others. Tom also held the world record for three chainsaw juggling (44 throws).

References

External links

{{authority control Designated places in British Columbia