McBride, British Columbia

History

McBride was founded in 1913 as Mile 90 of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway. The village received its name after the serving premier, Sir Richard McBride. McBride's early industries were rail, shipping, forest harvesting and the agricultural development of the valley. In 1970 access to McBride changed with the opening of Highway 16 (Yellowhead), which enabled vehicles to travel through the valley.

McBride is rich in farmland in the valley bottom, with a mix of forest and alpine surrounding the valley. This unique mixture allows McBride to be a prime location for many industries. Current industries for McBride are railroad, forestry, tourism, small businesses and agriculture. Barley, oats, forage crops and pasture are the main agricultural activities supported by dark gray Doré clay loam to clay and gray Rausch clay.

Climate

McBride is relatively wet, especially in the summer. Precipitation occurs 21 days on average during the month of July. Only nearby Crescent Spur gets more rain days in July in all of Canada.

McBride Community Forest Corporation

McBride Community Forest Corporation (MCFC) is a corporation that is owned by the Village of McBride. MCFC was set up in 2002 to manage community forest tenure for the village and the surrounding area. The Community Forest license grants the village exclusive rights to harvest Crown timber from approximately 60,000 hectares of land. MCFC is able to serve the social, economic and environment needs for McBride's forest industry. MCFC manages "the forest for all of its product potential rather than just timber."

McBride Hospital and Health Centre

McBride Hospital and Health Centre provides a variety of services to the community and surrounding area. The hospital is equipped with an emergency room, three acute care beds and eight long-term beds. The hospital has two full-time doctors stationed at it, alongside other healthcare professionals. The hospital is also able to provide the community with x-ray and lab services. Acupuncture and massage therapy is accessible to residents in this region. A BC ambulance station is located in McBride beside the hospital, with 911 services being available to McBride and the surrounding areas.

Attractions

The village offers a diverse outdoor attractions for all seasons. During the winter months, McBride has a variety of cross-country skiing trails and is world-famous snowmobiling trails and designated snowmobiling areas, as well as offering numerous locations for the ever-popular ice fishing. The warmer months in McBride allow for hiking, camping, fishing and bird watching. Recreation sites in the area include Beaver Falls Recreation Trail, Beaver River Recreation Site, LaSalle Lake Recreation Site and McBride Peak Halfway Hut. Another popular site is Horseshoe Lake, a naturally formed ox-bow lake that allows birdwatchers to observe waterfowl and other birds from an observation platform. The village has a ball field and Community Recreation Centre that is equipped with gym, a regulation sized ice hockey arena, two curling sheets and a convertible court.

The McBride and District Public Library and the Valley Museum and Archives are both housed in a recently constructed building located on Main Street. A popular attraction among tourists, the Valley Museum and Archives presents a variety of touring exhibitions each year show casing the unique history and culture of the Robson Valley. The library offers a variety of services to the community and tourists, including workshops for all ages, internet access and computer stations, and a wide selection of media.

The Robson Valley Community Centre is located in McBride. This centre has a stage, dance floor and commercial kitchen. The Robson Valley Community Centre is an ideal place to rent for theatre performances, conferences, wedding receptions, tradeshows or a family reunion.

Community

The population of McBride was 586 at the 2011 Census. The population including the surrounding area is 1,710. Main Street has a variety of unique stores for visitors and locals to come and explore. The focal point of Main Street is the train station. The Grand Trunk Pacific Railway built the train station in 1913. An unfortunate fire burnt the building down in 1918. The station was quickly rebuilt and reopened in 1919 on the original site. The last train dispatched from this station in 1989, but trains still ride through the station and pick up passengers on a daily basis. In 1996, the Village of McBride bought the station. The station currently houses the Whistle Stop, a gallery of quality work done by local artists and crafters, as well as McBride's Visitor Information Centre and a locally owned coffee shop The Beanery.

Notable people