The West End (

Shuswap language The Shuswap language (; shs, Secwepemctsín ) is the traditional language of the Shuswap people ( shs, Secwépemc ) of British Columbia. An endangered language, Shuswap is spoken mainly in the Central and Southern Interior of British Columbia b ...

: Tk'emlul̓pe) is a South Shore

neighbourhood A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; American and British English spelling differences, see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community ...

of Kamloops,

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

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. It is the city's oldest residential neighbourhood and has the largest proportion of heritage-designated homes.

Geography

The West End, located on Kamloops' South Shore (i.e., south of the

Thompson River The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches, the South Thompson River and the North Thompson River. The ri ...

), is generally considered to be the area of Kamloops bounded to the East by 2nd Avenue, to the West by Summit Drive, to the North by Victoria Street West and to the South by Columbia Street. The neighbourhood is not necessarily regarded as the western end of Kamloops itself (the Brocklehurst area of the North Shore lies further to the West), but rather as the western end of the downtown area. Almost the entire West End is zoned residentially and is not home to more than a few businesses.

Topography

The West End is relatively one of the lowest areas of Kamloops, located far below Aberdeen Hills, but the neighbourhood itself is very hilly. Nicola Street West and Clarke Street slope considerably to the west of Lee Road, while Battle Street Hill carries the central and northern portions of the neighbourhood significantly upward toward the College Heights area below

Thompson Rivers University Thompson Rivers University (commonly referred to as TRU) is a Public university, public teaching and research university offering Undergraduate education, undergraduate and Postgraduate education, graduate Academic degree, degrees and Vocational ...

. Also notable are the large number of tall, broad deciduous trees planted in yards and along boulevards in the neighbourhood. These contribute to making the West End one of the greenest and shadiest areas of the city.

History and Heritage

During Kamloops' evolution in the 19th century, the West End was the main site of residential settlement in the growing town. The name of Nicola Wagon Road in the neighbourhood bears witness to the fact that the West End was the first concentration of inhabitation in what would become one of British Columbia's most spread-out cities. The West End was home to many of Kamloops' most prominent early citizens, as demonstrated by the size and grandeur of many of the homes. While a number of more modern houses have encroached upon the neighbourhood's elegant atmosphere, wood-panelled and stucco homes remain the norm.

Additional

The neighbourhood is located close to a number of significant Kamloops buildings, including the Old Courthouse, Sacred Heart Cathedral, St. Andrew's on the Square, Stuart Wood Elementary School (the city's first school), the

Kamloops Museum and Archives The Kamloops Museum and Archives is a museum and archives located in the city of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Located at 207 Seymour Street in downtown Kamloops, at the corner of 2nd Avenue. In addition to historical exhibits and educational ...

and St. Ann's Academy.

External links

City of Kamloops
{{coord, 50.6752, N, 120.3523, W, display=title Neighbourhoods in Kamloops