Penticton ( ) is a city in the

Okanagan Valley The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of t ...

of the

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

, Canada, situated between

Okanagan The Okanagan ( ), also called the Okanagan Valley and sometimes the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part of ...

and Skaha lakes. In the

2021 Canadian Census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canada, Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, whic ...

, its population was 36,885, while its

census agglomeration The census geographic units of Canada are the census subdivisions defined and used by Canada's federal government statistics bureau Statistics Canada to conduct the country's quinquennial census. These areas exist solely for the purposes of stat ...

population was 47,380.

Name origin

The name Penticton is derived from a word in the

Okanagan language Okanagan, Colville-Okanagan, or Nsyilxcən (n̓səl̓xcin̓ or n̓syilxčn̓) is a Salishan languages, Salish language which arose among the Indigenous peoples of the southern Interior Plateau region based primarily in the Okanagan River, Okanaga ...

. It is conventionally translated as "a place to stay forever" but is actually a reference to the year-round flow of Okanagan Lake through Penticton where it enters Skaha Lake. Differing accounts of the meaning are given in the

BC Geographical Names The BC Geographical Names (formerly BC Geographical Names Information System or BCGNIS) is a geographic name web service and database for the Canadian province of British Columbia run by the Base Mapping and Geomatic Services Branch of the Integr ...

entry for the city:

History

The site of the city was first settled by the

Syilx The Syilx () people, also known as the Okanagan, Suknaqinx, or Okinagan people, are a First Nations in Canada, First Nations and Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose traditional territory spans the Canada–United St ...

(Okanagan people), of the

Interior Salish languages The Interior Salish languages are one of the two main branches of the Salishan languages, Salishan language family, the other being Coast Salish languages, Coast Salish. It can be further divided into Northern and Southern subbranches. The first I ...

group, Breese-Biagioni (1998), p. 10 who initially named the community Phthauntac, meaning the "ideal meeting place", followed by Penticton, meaning a "place to stay forever", or officially "a place where people live year-round" in the

. They settled around the city's two lakes:

Skaha Lake Skaha Lake is a freshwater lake, through which the Okanagan River flows, in the Okanagan region of south central British Columbia. Along the shoreline are Penticton (north), Kaleden (west), and Okanagan Falls (south). Name origin The lake was l ...

and

Okanagan Lake Okanagan Lake () is a lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake is long, between wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2 (135 sq. mi.). Hydrography Okanagan Lake is called a fjord lake as it has been carved o ...

; the former was originally known as Dog Lake. Their descendants form the

Penticton Indian Band The Penticton Indian Band () is a First Nations government in the Canadian province of British Columbia, located next to the city of Penticton in the Okanagan Valley. They are a member of the Okanagan Nation Alliance. It has an accredited High Scho ...

, a

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

government part of the

Okanagan Nation Alliance The Okanagan Nation Alliance is a First Nations Tribal Council in the Canadian province of British Columbia, spanning the Nicola, Okanagan and Similkameen Districts of the Canadian province of British Columbia and also the Colville Indian Reserva ...

situated near Penticton. In 1866, Irishman Thomas Ellis and his family travelled to Penticton, and became the first white settlers. He started to develop a community by building a cattle empire, and planting fruit trees. The Penticton Hotel was established in 1892 by Ellis, who positioned it around the local government area, and its first road: Front Street. The sidewalks on the street were made from wood, with coal oil lamps being introduced to the sidewalk. Ellis and his relatives retired in 1892, and sold a portion of their land to property dealers. Around this time, a number of European fur traders travelled through Penticton and the surrounding communities. The sternwheeler SS ''Aberdeen'', which began service on Okanagan Lake in 1892, meant that more services could be shipped to the area. A group of residents formed their own local public government board for the community, by 1907, in the hopes of promoting the area. It was referred to as the Board of Trade, who attempted to specialize in arts, commerce, education, and recreation. Another sternwheeler was constructed at Okanagan Landing and launched that same year, the SS ''Okanagan'', for use on Okanagan Lake, while other sternwheelers served Penticton and other communities on Skaha Lake. Penticton was incorporated as a district municipality on December 31, 1908. Breese-Biagioni (1998), p. 11 Shortly after the district was incorporated, the fruit trees planted by Ellis, many of them apple trees, started to grow. Residents of the area packed fruit in boxes, so they could distribute it worldwide. In 1912, the

Canadian Pacific Railway The Canadian Pacific Railway () , also known simply as CPR or Canadian Pacific and formerly as CP Rail (1968–1996), is a Canadian Class I railway incorporated in 1881. The railway is owned by Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Canadian Pacific Ka ...

(CPR) developed the

Incola Hotel The Incola Hotel was a luxury hotel constructed by the Canadian Pacific Railway, CPR, company in the city of Penticton, British Columbia, Canada to provide quality accommodation for those traveling on the CPR mainline or steamships and passing thro ...

for the city, which operated for approximately 70 years. The

Penticton Aquatic Club The Penticton Aquatic Club was a boathouse, social centre, and clubhouse for aquatic activities in Penticton, British Columbia. Built in 1913 at the foot of Winnipeg Street by Okanagan Lake, it became an important part of Penticton summer life. It ...

was a center of entertainment. During World War I, the SS ''Sicamous'' came to the community, while the

Kettle Valley Railway The Kettle Valley Railway was a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) that operated across southern British Columbia, west of Midway running to Rock Creek, then north to Myra Canyon, down to Penticton over to Princeton, Coalmont, B ...

train service began operating, by moving specific passengers. In 1949, Penticton purchased the ship from the Canadian Pacific Railway. The

Penticton Regional Airport Penticton Regional Airport , also known as Penticton Airport, is a regional airport located southwest of Penticton, British Columbia, a city in the Okanagan region of Canada. It is owned and operated by Transport Canada, serving the South Okanag ...

was developed during World War II due to wartime military air transportation concerns, which acted as an emergency landing strip until its tarmac was completed. McGrath (1992) Its land was expropriated from the Penticton Indian Band in 1949 under the

War Measures Act The ''War Measures Act'' (; 5 George V, Chap. 2) was a statute of the Parliament of Canada that provided for the declaration of war, invasion, or insurrection, and the types of emergency measures that could thereby be taken. The Act was brough ...

. In 1948, a provincial highway opened between

Hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...

and

Princeton Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the Unit ...

, which allowed access to Penticton, and created competition for the Kettle Valley Railway; headquarters for the railway were chosen to be in Penticton, in 1910, but the location burnt down in 1964. Much of the railroad's original route has been converted to a multi-use recreational trail, known as the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, which carries the

Trans Canada Trail The Trans Canada Trail is a cross-Canada system of greenways, waterways, and roadways that stretches from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, Pacific to the Arctic Ocean, Arctic oceans. The trail extends over ; it is now the longe ...

through this part of British Columbia. Langford (2002), p. 85 It was incorporated as a city on May 10, 1948, with the

Governor General of Canada The governor general of Canada () is the federal representative of the . The monarch of Canada is also sovereign and head of state of 14 other Commonwealth realms and resides in the United Kingdom. The monarch, on the Advice (constitutional la ...

declaring this. Reeve Robert Lyon served Penticton as the first mayor, while Lord Alexander was made a freeman of the city. During a series of church fires in 2021–thought to be associated with the outrage following the discovery of many purported burials at Canadian Indian residential school sites–Sacred Heart Mission Church in Penticton was burned on 21 June 2021. Sacred Heart Mission was one of two Catholic churches burned that day, the other roughly 40 minutes away on

Osoyoos Osoyoos (, ) is the southernmost town in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia between Penticton and Omak. The town is north of the United States border in the Washington State and is adjacent to the Osoyoos Indian reserve. The origin of ...

land.

Geography

Penticton is located at the geographical coordinates of and covers an area of , with a maximum north–south distance of wide between the

to the north and

to the south; these lakes are part of the drainage system of the

Okanagan River The Okanogan River (known as the Okanagan River in Canada) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 115 mi (185 km) long, in southern British Columbia and north central Washington. It drains a scenic plateau region called t ...

, a tributary of the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

. Its borders are formed by Skaha Lake Road to the south and west, which changes to

Highway 97 Route 97, or Highway 97, may refer to: Australia – Olympic Dam Highway, South Australia Canada * British Columbia Highway 97 ** British Columbia Highway 97A ** British Columbia Highway 97B ** British Columbia Highway 97C ** British Colu ...

after city limits, Naramata Road to the east, and to the west, Highway 97. Penticton has an elevation of , and is situated five hours from

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, and

Vancouver Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...

in another direction; and eight hours from

Calgary Calgary () is a major city in the Canadian province of Alberta. As of 2021, the city proper had a population of 1,306,784 and a metropolitan population of 1,481,806 making it the third-largest city and fifth-largest metropolitan area in C ...

Alberta Alberta is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Canada. It is a part of Western Canada and is one of the three Canadian Prairies, prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to its west, Saskatchewan to its east, t ...

, by highway.

Topography

Penticton is the largest city by area and population in, and the seat of, the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District, which is part of the

as a whole, for which the city is the third largest in the region. It is the 21st largest settlement in British Columbia itself by population, while its metropolitan area, including the city plus Okanagan-Similkameen Electoral Area D, serves as the 71st largest in Canada; by area, Penticton ranks 20th in its province; statistics are based on the

2011 Canadian Census The 2011 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canadian population on May 10, 2011. Statistics Canada, an agency of the Canadian government, conducts a nationwide census every five years. In 2011, it consisted of a mandatory short form ...

. It lies at the south bottom of Okanagan Lake, and north beginning of Skaha Lake. Between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake are a number of residential areas, farms, which grow orchard and wine products. Pine and fir are commonly found in the mountains and high country around Penticton, which include the

Okanagan Highland The Okanagan Highland is an elevated hilly plateau area in British Columbia, Canada, and the U.S. state of Washington (where it is spelled Okanogan Highlands). Rounded mountains with elevations up to above sea level and deep, narrow valleys ar ...

, and to its east, the

Monashee Mountains The Monashee Mountains are a mountain range lying mostly in British Columbia, Canada, extending into the U.S. state of Washington. They stretch from north to south and from east to west. They are a sub-range of the Columbia Mountains. The hig ...

. Apex Mountain Resort, which sits west of the city on the

Thompson Plateau The Thompson Plateau forms the southern portion of the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada, lying to the west of Okanagan Lake, south of the Thompson River and east of (although never adjoining it) the Fraser River. At its most southern ...

, is home to the tallest mountain peak in the Penticton area; ski services are offered. The Okanagan Highland is an intermediary plateau-like hilly country between the Okanagan Valley and the Monashee Mountains.

Climate

Penticton has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

(

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''BSk''). Penticton has low precipitation, hot summer days with cool nights, and moderately cool, mostly cloudy winters. With of annual precipitation, Penticton is the fourth driest city in Canada. It averages of snowfall per year. Penticton has the mildest winter of any non-coastal city in Canada. The high daytime temperatures throughout the summer means that Penticton has on average the second most number of days in a year over (after

Kamloops Kamloops ( ) is a city in south-central British Columbia, Canada, at the confluence of the North Thompson River, North and South Thompson Rivers, which join to become the Thompson River in Kamloops, and east of Kamloops Lake. The city is the ad ...

) and the city has the lowest amount of fog in Canada. Penticton experiences 1,923 sunshine hours annually, lower than one might expect in a dry climate. This is the result of temperature inversions during the winter that leave a layer of cloud cover at the top of the valley where warm moist air collides with the cooler dry air that fills the valley. During December and January, Penticton is one of the cloudiest places in Canada. By contrast, the summer months are some of the most cloud-free in the country. Overall the sun shines for 39 per cent of daylight hours, varying between a low of 13 per cent in December and January to 62.6 per cent in August. Mean relative humidity hovers between 63–77 per cent in the morning throughout the year, but afternoon mean relative humidity is more uneven, ranging from 36 per cent in July to 69 per cent in January and December. The local and upcoming weather of Penticton is observed at the

Environment and Climate Change Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC; )Environment and Climate Change Canada is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of the Environment (). is the department of the Government of Canada res ...

. It typically experiences four distinct seasons annually, having hot summers, relatively mild winters, and little snow, according to the

British Columbia government The Executive Council of British Columbia (the Cabinet) is the Cabinet (government), Cabinet of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia. Almost always composed of members of the Legislative Assembly of Bri ...

based on statistics from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Despite having a mild winter by Canadian standards, Penticton often sees moderate stretches of below freezing weather, typically confined to December and January. The highest temperature ever recorded in Penticton was on June 30, 2021, and the lowest was on January 13, 2024.

Demographics

In the

2021 Canadian census The 2021 Canadian census was a detailed enumeration of the Canada, Canadian population with a reference date of May 11, 2021. It follows the 2016 Canadian census, which recorded a population of 35,151,728. The overall response rate was 98%, whic ...

conducted by

Statistics Canada Statistics Canada (StatCan; ), formed in 1971, is the agency of the Government of Canada commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. It is headquartered in ...

, Penticton had a population of 36,885 living in 17,361 of its 18,457 total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of 33,761. With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. In 2016. Penticton has a dwelling occupancy rate of 93.2 per cent. The median value of a private dwelling is $359,167, just under the national median of $374,975. The median age is 52.4, much higher than the national median age of 41.2. 29.0 per cent of residents are 65 years or older, compared to 16.9 per cent nationally. In 2024 The median value of a single family home is is Priced at $750,000 cad

Ethnicity

As of 2021, 84.3 per cent of residents are white, while 8.9 per cent are

visible minorities In Canada, a visible minority () is defined by the Government of Canada as "persons, other than aboriginal peoples, who are non-Caucasian in race or non-white in colour". The term is used primarily as a demographic category by Statistics Canada ...

, and 6.8 per cent are

Indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology) In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often populari ...

. The largest visible minority groups in Penticton are

South Asian South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...

(3.2 per cent), Filipino (1.4 per cent),

Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...

(1.0 per cent), and

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

(0.7 per cent), and

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

(0.5 per cent). *Note: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses.

Language

As of 2016, 86.4 per cent of residents spoke

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...

as their first language. Other common mother tongues are German (2.2 per cent),

Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...

(1.8 per cent),

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

(1.8 per cent), Portuguese (0.7 per cent) and

Tagalog Tagalog may refer to: Language * Tagalog language, a language spoken in the Philippines ** Old Tagalog, an archaic form of the language ** Batangas Tagalog, a dialect of the language * Tagalog script, the writing system historically used for Tagal ...

(0.6 per cent).

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Penticton included: *

Irreligion Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and intellectual perspectives, including atheism, agnosticism, religious skepticism, ...

(19,645 persons or 55.0 per cent) *

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

(14,575 persons or 40.8 per cent) *

Sikhism Sikhism is an Indian religion and Indian philosophy, philosophy that originated in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent around the end of the 15th century CE. It is one of the most recently founded major religious groups, major religio ...

(750 persons or 2.1 per cent) *

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...

(170 persons or 0.5 per cent) *

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

(155 persons or 0.4 per cent) *

Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

(90 persons or 0.3 per cent) *

Judaism Judaism () is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic, Monotheism, monotheistic, ethnic religion that comprises the collective spiritual, cultural, and legal traditions of the Jews, Jewish people. Religious Jews regard Judaism as their means of o ...

(60 persons or 0.2 per cent) * Indigenous Spirituality (45 persons or 0.1 per cent) As of 2011, 52.9 per cent of residents were Christian. The largest denominations were

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

(15.8 per cent), other Christian (14.5 per cent)

United Church A united church, also called a uniting church, is a denomination formed from the merger or other form of church union of two or more different Protestantism, Protestant Christian denominations, a number of which come from separate and distinc ...

(8.6 per cent),

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

(4.7 per cent), and

Baptist Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...

(2.0 per cent) The largest minority religions were

, practised by 1.7 per cent of the population and

, practised by 0.5 per cent, while 43.5 per cent held no religious affiliation.

Architecture

According to

SkyscraperPage SkyscraperPage is a website for skyscraper hobbyists and enthusiasts that tracks existing and proposed skyscrapers around the world. The site is owned by Skyscraper Source Media, a supplier of skyscraper diagrams for the publication, marketing, an ...

, there are eight notable buildings in Penticton, the largest of which are the Lakeshore buildings, which are 15 floors, with the building's construction by concrete completing in 2008. The building is associated with an engineering organization, construction company, and real estate agency, but was made for residential use. At ten stories each, The Athens Creek Tower and Alysen Place are tied for Penticton's second-tallest building. The third-largest building, Cherry Lane Towers, is eight floors, and is also residential.

Public spaces

Due to its warm climate, the city has a diverse array of public spaces, from parks to hiking trails. It is home to ten public parks, including Gyro Park, Lakawanna Park, Marina Way Park, Okanagan Lake Park, Penticton Youth Park, Rose Garden, Rotary Centennial Pavilion, Rotary Park, Skaha Lake Park, and Munson Mountain. There are also seven beaches situated in the city, including Okanagan Lake Beach, Skaha Lake Beach, Airport Beach, Marina Way Beach, Okanagan Lake Park Beach, Sudbury Beach, and Three Mile Beach. The larger metropolitan area contains the

Okanagan Falls Provincial Park Okanagan Falls Provincial Park, now officially named sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Provincial Park, is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada, located within the traditional territory of the Osoyoos Indian Band. Since time immemorial, the Osoyoos Ind ...

, located in the unincorporated community

Okanagan Falls Okanagan Falls (also known as OK Falls) is a community located on the south end of Skaha Lake in British Columbia, Canada. It voted to become an incorporated municipality in 2025. History The community was founded in 1893 as Dogtown. The current ...

. Penticton maintains a policy on dogs that are allowed at parks or beaches. Other public spaces include trails, such as part of the

, and

; the former was formed throughout Canada, while the latter runs through Penticton and nearby

Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan, Okanagan Valley in the British Columbia Interior, southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna ...

. Rock climbing area Skaha Bluffs is located south of city centre on a hillside above the Skaha Lake in the Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park. With over 1,200 documented routes, it is the second most popular rock climbing area in British Columbia, after the Smoke Bluffs in Squamish.

Education

Penticton is served by School District 67 Okanagan Skaha, a school district with education institutions also based in nearby communities

Naramata Naramata is an unincorporated community in the Okanagan region of south central British Columbia, Canada. On the eastern shore of southern Okanagan Lake, the locality is by road about north of Penticton. Name origin In November 1906, John Moore ...

Kaleden Kaleden () is an unincorporated community about midway along the western shore of Skaha Lake in the Okanagan region of south central British Columbia. Adjacent to BC Highway 97, the locality is by road about south of Penticton. Agriculture As e ...

, and Summerland; its head office is held in Penticton itself. The district administers children from kindergarten to grade 12 locally, those of which are between kindergarten to grade five attend elementary schools, while children in grades between grade six to eight attend middle schools; ninth to 12th graders are served by secondary schools. Note: Information is listed under the school header's elementary, middle, and high school sections. School District 67 Okanagan Skaha currently maintains 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three secondary schools, including Penticton Secondary School and Princess Margaret Secondary School. On June 30, 2016, School District 67 closed McNicoll Park Middle School. During the 2016/2017 school year School District 67 operated 10 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 3 high schools. Penticton has three independent schools; Penticton Christian School, Holy Cross School, and Concordia Lutheran School. The '' Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique'' operates two Francophone schools: ''école Entre-lacs'' primary school and the '' école secondaire de Penticton''. The city is home to a Sprott Shaw College campus, and an

Okanagan College Okanagan College is publicpost-secondary institution with multiple campuses spread across the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. The College was established in 1963 and grown to become one of the largest colleges in British Columbia ou ...

campus, the latter of which, in 2010, had an enrolment of 610. It also contains the Okanagan Hockey School, which has had partnerships with professional hockey teams, such as the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...

. The Penticton Public Library was founded in 1909; from 1948 to 1968, it was a part of the Okanagan Regional Library. In 1968, a successful referendum separated the library from the Okanagan Regional Library.

Sports

upright=1.4, The South Okanagan Events Centre is the venue of a number of sport teams in Penticton. The city hosts games played by ice hockey teams

Penticton Vees The Penticton Vees are a junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League. The junior Vees were founded in 1961, sharing the name of the senior hockey team, the Penticto ...

, a junior "A" team in the

British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 21 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior "A" league within the Hockey Canada framework, until it became independe ...

, and one of the most successful Junior A teams in Canadian history. (BCHL), The city formerly hosted the

Penticton Lakers The Penticton Lakers were a junior 'B' Ice Hockey team based in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They were members of the Okanagan Division of the Okanagan/Shuswap of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) and were part of th ...

, a junior "B" team in the

Kootenay International Junior Hockey League The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) is a junior ice hockey league in British Columbia, Canada and Washington (state), Washington, USA sanctioned by Hockey Canada. The winner of the Teck Resources, Teck Cup competes with the ch ...

(KIJHL). The Vees play at the

South Okanagan Events Centre The South Okanagan Events Centre is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. It is home to the Penticton Vees ice hockey team. The arena opened to the public in September 2008. The centre hosted the 2018 Scotties ...

, while the latter played in the arena of the neighbouring Okanagan Hockey School. The former were founded in 1961, and have won the

Doyle Cup The Doyle Cup was an ice hockey trophy won through a best-of-7 series conducted annually by the Canadian Junior Hockey League to determine the Pacific region berth in the Centennial Cup, the national Junior A championship. From 1971 to 2021, th ...

, and

Royal Bank Cup Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

, while the latter were established in 2009. The Penticton Upperdek Vees are also a junior ice hockey that were founded in 2008, and also play at the South Okanagan Events Centre; people who have special needs are part of the team's squad, which is in the Special Needs Hockey League (SNHL). The Penticton Pinnacles are a soccer team that were established in 1997 that play at the Kings Park for the

Pacific Coast Soccer League The Pacific Coast Soccer League is an amateur Association football, soccer league, currently featuring teams from British Columbia. In the past, clubs from Washington (state), Washington and Oregon have competed. The Pacific Coast Soccer Leagu ...

(PCSL), the Penticton Pistoleras, a local roller derby team part of the South Okanagan Roller Derby Association, and Penticton Harlequins, a local rugby team in the

British Columbia Rugby Union The British Columbia Rugby Union (BCRU) is the provincial administrative body for rugby union in British Columbia, Canada. The BCRU consists of nine sub-unions and 65 clubs. It was originally organized in New Westminster in 1889 where Alfred St. ...

, also play tournaments for the city; the South Okanagan Event Centre serves as both of their venues. Beside team sports, the city hosted the

2010 British Columbia Scotties Tournament of Hearts The 2010 British Columbia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, British Columbia's women's provincial curling championship, was held January 4–10 at the Penticton Curling Club in Penticton. The winner represents team British Columbia at the 2010 Scotti ...

, 2010 World Junior A Challenge, 2013 Continental Cup of Curling., the 2016

BC Winter Games The BC Winter Games are an amateur sporting event held in British Columbia, Canada on every other (even-numbered) year. History The BC Winter Games date back to 1979 when the first Winter Games were hosted at Kamloops, British Columbia. The Ga ...

, the 2017 International Triathlon Union Multisport World Championships and

Curling Canada Curling Canada (formerly the Canadian Curling Association (CCA)) is a sanctioning body for the sport of curling in Canada. It is associated with more than a dozen provincial and territorial curling associations across the country, and organizes ...

2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts The 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Canada's national women's curling championship, was held from January 27–February 4, 2018 at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton, British Columbia. The winning team represented Canada at the 2018 ...

Events

Penticton hosts many events annually, among them the Super League Penticton Triathlon, the Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan, the Okanagan Wine Festival, the Okanagan Children's Festival, Meadowlark Nature Festival, Which takes place on the May long weekend Fest-of-Ale BC, the Penticton Peach Festival (commonly known as "Peachfest"), the Miss Penticton Pageant, which takes place during the Penticton Peach Festival, the Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival, the Peach City Beach Cruise, and the Elvis Festival, which was featured in the Summer 2006 issue of ''

British Columbia Magazine ''British Columbia Magazine'' is a geographic and travel magazine in British Columbia. Its coverage includes travel, outdoor recreation, geography, wildlife, conservation, people, science and natural phenomena, First Nations culture, heritage p ...

''. Penticton was home to the Ironman Canada race; the final Penticton Ironman was held in 2024.

Recreation

Penticton offers many kinds of recreation, including

skiing Skiing is the use of skis to glide on snow for basic transport, a recreational activity, or a competitive winter sport. Many types of competitive skiing events are recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and the International S ...

at the Apex Mountain Resort ski area;

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, suc ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...

and

, golfing on the area's many courses, hiking and biking the

Trail, and

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

at Skaha Bluffs. In the summer many people enjoy floating down the river channel that connects Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. It is home to the BCHL hockey team

who play throughout the winter season, and the PCSL soccer team Penticton Pinnacles, who play May–July. Completed in 2011, the Penticton Community Centre is a modern facility with many health, fitness and recreation options. The Penticton Community Centre is located at 325 Power Street. In September 2006, Penticton residents voted 80.3 per in favour of the construction of the

(SOEC). The $73 million arena, sports complex and convention centre is the home of the BCHL's

, named in honour of the senior hockey team that won the 1955

Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), first officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the I ...

against Russia. The SOEC also serves as a summer or early fall training facility for the

. It has boosted the city's convention market and is a popular venue for concert tours and other special events. Notable shows hosted at the SOEC in recent years have been

Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. One of the List of music artists by net worth, wealthiest musicians in the world, List of awards and nominations received by Rihanna, her vario ...

, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Def Leppard, Carrie Underwood and several Cirque du Soleil shows. From May–October, outdoor markets fill the downtown section of Main St. Two markets, the Downtown Community Market and the Penticton Farmers Market combine to form one of the largest outdoor market events in BC. Visitors come from all around for this Saturday event which sees about 8,000 visitors at its peak in July–August. The Penticton Art Gallery (formerly the Art Gallery of the South Okanagan) is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization. Exhibits feature international and local artists, and the gallery offers art workshops and seasonal events. During the winter holidays, there is a special "art under $500" event. Penticton is the hub of Enotourism, wine tourism in the Okanagan Valley (wine region), Okanagan Valley, with 120 winery, wineries within an hour's drive and over 40 wineries within city limits. Craft beer, distilled spirits, and cider are also widely manufactured. Penticton is known for its early involvement in the craft brewing movement and is a featured route in BC Ale Trails. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail, with trail heads leading to more than of flat, railbed trails for hiking and biking, can be accessed from Penticton. This trail is part of the

Infrastructure

Electrical

The Electric Utility is owned and operated by the City of Penticton, providing electrical service to the community's residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Transportation

Mass local transit in Penticton and Okanagan-Similkameen is offered by the South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System under the BC Transit label, operating on six routes. There is also a service for people who are unable to use regular transit, HandyDART. The bus transportation system is funded by Penticton, Okanagan-Similkameen, and BC Transit. Its services are provided to points of interest, such as the Cherry Lane Shopping Centre Downtown Penticton. as well as traversing the distance lake to lake. A number of parks and recreation transportation services are offered in the city, including trails, such as part of the

, and

; the former runs through Canada, while the latter runs through Penticton, and Kelowna. Headquarters for the trail was chosen to be in Penticton in 1910, but the location burnt down in 1964. The city has access to transportation corridors running north, south, east, and west, while the Highway 97 can also be accessed. It is served by the Penticton Regional Airport, Penticton Airport, a regional airport located southwest of city centre. In 2018 a $6million upgrade to the facility was initiated to expand the departure and arrivals lounges as well as increase capacity for managing passenger flow. Although it has historically provided flights to several destinations, the airport currently offers flights to the Vancouver International Airport, which are provided by Air Canada Express; these services are provided three to four times daily, while the exception of Sunday, when two flights are available. Note: Information is listed under the arrivals and departures headings. WestJet Encore flies twice daily to its Calgary hub. The city is also home to the Penticton Water Aerodrome, a water aerodrome situated adjacent to the Penticton Airport and is home base to HNZ Topflight, an advanced helicopter flight training school operated by HNZ Group, HNZ.

Notable residents

*Jeannette Armstrong, Syilx Elder, Author, and Professor at UBCO *Andy Bell (freestyle motocross rider), Andy Bell, pro freestyle motocross champion, host of MTV's ''Nitro Circus'' *George Bowering, poet, first ever Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate *Tyler Breeze, professional wrestler *Layla Claire, soprano * Thomas Ellis, the first European settler in the area in 1866 *Gordon Herbert, basketball player and coach *Brett Hull, National Hockey League (NHL) hockey player, graduate of Penticton High School *Paul Kariya, retired NHL player, graduate of Penticton Secondary School *Duncan Keith, NHL hockey player, graduate of Penticton Secondary School *Alan Kerr, hockey player *Jett Klyne, actor *Shane Koyczan, spoken word poet *Spencer Krug, musician from the band Wolf Parade *Richard H. Leir, chief of maritime operations for the Canadian navy. *Ivan McLelland, Penticton Vees (senior), Penticton Vees player and 1955 Ice Hockey World Championships, 1955 IIHF World Hockey Champion *Andy Moog, hockey player *Brendan Morrison, NHL hockey player, graduate of Penticton High School *Terry David Mulligan, actor and television personality *Andi Naude, 2018 Winter Olympics, 2018 Olympian on the Canadian National Ski Team *Bob Nicholson (ice hockey), Bob Nicholson, CEO of the Edmonton Oilers *Nakai Penny, professional rugby player for the Seattle Seawolves of Major League Rugby *Cameron Phillips (broadcaster), Cameron Phillips, radio broadcaster *Justin Pogge, hockey player *Mike Reno, musician from the band Loverboy *Mark Allan Robinson, political activist *Mark Rycroft, retired NHL player, Colorado Avalanche TV colour analyst *Alexis Smith, actress *Blake Wesley (ice hockey), Blake Wesley, hockey player

Media

Radio stations

* AM 800 – CKOR, soft adult contemporary * FM 92.9 - CFUZ-FM, Community radio station Peach City Radio * FM 93.7 – CBTK-FM, CBTP-FM, CBC Radio One * FM 97.1 – CJMG-FM, hot contemporary (Sun FM) * FM 100.7 – CIGV-FM, country music

International relations

In early 1975, residents of the Penticton area travelled to Japan, in order to search for business opportunities. They met Kaneyasa Marutani, the mayor of Ikeda, Hokkaido, Ikeda, Hokkaido, a town in the Nakagawa (Tokachi) District, Hokkaido, Nakagawa regional district of Japan. He claimed that the town was proposing a sister city relationship, and stated that Penticton was a reasonable option, due to its similarities with winery production, cattle industry, and geographic features. Later that year, residents of the Ikeda area toured Penticton and met with the government of Penticton, reaching a decision to become a sister city in 1977. Since 1977, Penticton has served as a sister city of Ikeda. The relationship is one of the oldest in Canada, with a number of residents having exchanged visits to the respective locations annually. In 1993, there was consideration for building a Japanese garden in Penticton, in order to honour their agreement, with the garden's construction beginning in 1997. It is known as the Penticton–Ikeda Japanese Garden.

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

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External links

* * {{authority control Penticton, Cities in British Columbia Populated places in the Okanagan Country Populated places on Okanagan Lake British Columbia populated places on the Okanogan River

Name origin

History

Geography

Topography

Climate

Demographics

Ethnicity

Language

Religion

Architecture

Public spaces

Education

Sports

Events

Recreation

Infrastructure

Electrical

Transportation

Notable residents

Media

Radio stations

International relations

See also

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

External links