The West End (

Shuswap language The Shuswap language (; , ) is a northern Interior Salish language traditionally spoken by the Shuswap people (, ) of British Columbia. An endangered language, Shuswap is spoken mainly in the Central and Southern Interior of British Columbia b ...

: Tk'emlul̓pe) is an inner-city, South Shore

neighbourhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neighbourh ...

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 ...

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 Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. It is the city's oldest residential neighbourhood and has the largest proportion of heritage-designated buildings, including Kamloops' oldest public building, St. Andrew's on the Square (1887). In addition, the city's first school, Stuart Wood School, is located in the West End, as are the

Kamloops Museum and Archives The Kamloops Museum and Archives is a museum and archives located in the West End of 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 exhibit ...

, St. Ann's Academy, the Kamloops Cenotaph at Memorial Hill Park, and the Kamloops Chinese Cemetery. Also notable are the large number of tall, broad

deciduous In the fields of horticulture and botany, the term deciduous () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed Leaf, leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, aft ...

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.

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 river ...

), 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.

History

19th century

During Kamloops' evolution in the

19th century The 19th century began on 1 January 1801 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 (MCM). It was the 9th century of the 2nd millennium. It was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was Abolitionism, ...

, the West End was the main site of residential settlement in the growing town. 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. 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.

20th century

Construction began on Kamloops' courthouse in 1909 in the West End. The Old Kamloops Courthouse became a landmark complex, replacing two previous courthouses located elsewhere in the city. Funded by a $20,000 provincial grant approved in 1907, the courthouse and perimeter wall were completed in 1909, with the Land Registry added to the rear in 1911. The building's construction reflected Kamloops' importance as a commercial and industrial center in the early 1900s

British Columbia Interior The British Columbia Interior, popularly referred to as the BC Interior or simply the Interior, is a geographic region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. While the exact boundaries are variously defined, the British Columbia Interior ...

. Built in the

Edwardian Baroque Edwardian architecture usually refers to a Neo-Baroque architectural style that was popular for public buildings in the British Empire during the Edwardian era (1901–1910). Architecture up to 1914 is commonly included in this style. It can al ...

style with

Arts and Crafts The Arts and Crafts movement was an international trend in the Decorative arts, decorative and fine arts that developed earliest and most fully in the British Isles and subsequently spread across the British Empire and to the rest of Europe and ...

interior elements, the courthouse featured local materials including brick, British Columbia stone, and wood from local lumber mills. Designed by architects Dalton & Eveleigh with stained glass by Charles Bloomfield, it stands as one of the province's most striking Edwardian public buildings.

21st century

While a number of more modern houses have been built in the neighbourhood, wood-panelled and

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

homes remain the norm. Today, the West End is predominantly zoned for residential use, with minimal commercial presence. The neighbourhood encompasses several informally recognized subdivisions: * College Heights * Guerin Creek * Hudson's Ridge * McIntosh Heights * Powers Addition In the western and upper portions of the original West End, McIntosh Heights features primarily single-family homes, while the Powers Addition area contains a mix of single-family residences and duplexes. The area west of Guerin Creek ravine displays greater residential diversity, including duplexes, townhouses, and apartment buildings. More recent development projects include the Guerin Creek area, which is characterized by larger single-family homes, and the multi-phase Hudson's Ridge development across Summit Drive, featuring a combination of townhouses and single-family residences on compact urban lots. The southern section of the neighbourhood, known as College Heights, comprises numerous post-war townhouse complexes and walk-up apartment buildings. These properties frequently serve as housing for

Thompson Rivers University Thompson Rivers University (commonly referred to as TRU) is a Public university, public research university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. The university's name comes from the two rivers which converge in Kamloops, the North Thomp ...

students, staff, and faculty due to their proximity to the campus.

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

Gallery

Westend4.JPG, Westend2.JPG, Westend3.JPG, Westendhouse.JPG, Residential property in West End, Kamloops.jpg,

References

External links

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