Field (British Columbia)
Field is a settlement in southeastern British Columbia, Canada. The settlement is situated about 27 kilometers west of Lake Louise, Alberta. Field is part of the Columbia - Shuswap Regional District and is the last settlement in British Columbia before, crossed the border Trans-Canada Highway, (also British Columbia Highway 1 here ) to Alberta. About 58 kilometers west of Field is Golden.
About a local self-government, the settlement does not, since it has only the status of a municipality ( community ).
The settlement is regarded as the entrance to Yoho National Park (although it is very central in the park) and here is also the visitor center of the park.
Location
The settlement is not directly on the Kicking Horse River, which here runs in east-west direction, as it is separated from it by a railway line of the Canadian Pacific Railway ( CPR). Across the river is found then the Trans-Canada Highway.
The settlement is located in the Kicking Horse River Valley. North and south of the mountains rise steeply and reach heights between 2600 m and 3100 m. To the north are among others the Mount Field and Mount Burgess, while others, on the south Mount Stephen is.
History
Originally the territory of the First Nation was settled. In the area around present-day Fields lived and live groups from the Secwepemc people.
Its origin as a settlement of European immigrants he owes his position at the foot of the Kicking Horse Pass. This pass is the transition, which the Canadian Pacific Railway chose for their crossing of the Rocky Mountains. It was here that in 1880 a railroad depot, where additional steam locomotives were stationed for the increase on the so-called Big Hill and the subsequent spiral tunnels. 1886 built the CPR is a hotel, the Mount Stephen House. In 1889, the establishment of a post office.
It has its name the settlement after the American businessman Cyrus West Field.
Demography
The census in 2011 showed only a population of 169 inhabitants of the settlement. The population of the settlement has thereby decreased from 2006 by 54.3 % compared to the census and is thus dramatically against the average growth of the entire Province of British Columbia, where the population increased by 7.0 % at the same time. With an average age of 36.5 years, the population here is much younger than in the rest of the province, with an average of 41.9 years there.
Education
Field is part of School District # 6 - Rocky Mountain School District. In the settlement there is no school. Students therefore need to commute to the schools to Golden.
Tourism
Field is the starting point for tours of Yoho National Park. It is the starting point for visits
- Of Takakkaw Falls ( the second highest waterfall in Canada ),
- Of Twin Falls ( the third highest waterfall in the province )
- The Wapta Falls,
As well as to
- Emerald Lake ( the largest lake in the park),
- The Twin Falls Tea House ( a tea house and viewpoint of 1908) or
- The Burgess shale ( a globally significant fossil deposit ).