4°C
Thursday May 24, 2012: Clearing
Rural Communities
The Stuart Nechako is a sub-region of the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako and is home to 21,771 people living in small towns, rural settings and remote communities, including seven First Nations communities.
Electoral Areas C (Fraser Lake Rural), D (Fort St James Rural) and F (Vanderhoof Rural) are three of the seven electoral areas of the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako, and with a land area of 35,419.92 km2 account for about 48.2% of the total area of the Regional District. The landscape is mainly rugged and expansive forests dotted with lakes and rivers throughout. The lakeshores are home to many of the rural residents as well as second home owners from the region and from other parts of Canada. Agriculture is intensive around Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake and to a lesser degree south of Fort St James. The population of the three electoral rural areas in 2001 was 8,822, and as well these geographical areas incorporate the total First Nations Indian Reserves proper that have 5,194 registered band members (2001).
The electoral areas, and agriculture lands within municipal boundaries, are defined as “Subdivision A” by Statistics Canada with respect to Agriculture. The Nechako Agriculture region is located at the geographic centre of the Province of British Columbia. It lies within the fertile Nechako Valley encompassing 8.5 million acres (34,619 sq. km) within subdivision “A” in the Bulkley-Nechako Regional District. The agricultural sector according to Statistics Canada Census 1996 covers 295,554 acres deeded, rented or under lease, which represents approximately 3.5% of the total land area of the 8.5 million acres in subdivision “A.”
Here is some information on the major rural communities in our region
Cluculz Lake, just south of Highway 16 and 45 km east of Vanderhoof, lies within the Nechako portion of the Fraser River drainage. This sizable, deep lake is roughly 20 km long, is used by residents and visitors for recreation. Land use within the watershed includes lakeshore development, forestry and agriculture. There are 659 lakeshore lots, of which roughly 460 are known to have summer or permanent residences. The area includes one gated community, one convenience store, one rest stop and limited lakeshore public camping.
Fort Fraser (2004 pop. 950) is one of the oldest settlements in British Columbia, located on the Yellowhead Highway, 44 kilometres west of Vanderhoof. The pioneer roots of the area’s history date back to the fur trade, with the establishment here of a fur-trading post in 1806 by Simon Fraser. The town was built 4 kilometres east of the original site of Simon Fraser’s fort, and is also the site of the last spike of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, driven on April 7th, 1914. The celebration is commemorated with a plaque marking the spot, and the railway is now the Winnipeg-Prince Rupert line of Canadian National (CN). Today, Fort Fraser is an active community sustained by forestry and agriculture.
Manson Creek (pop. 40) is located in the northern interior of British Columbia, 140 miles (225 km) north of Fort St. James and 125 miles (200 km) northwest of Mackenzie and McLeod Lake. Various deposits of gold placer can be found in the Manson Creek and surrounding area, as well as jade, rhodonite, jasper, and agate.
Germansen Landing (pop. 25), located in the Omineca Valley, is approximately a 200-km drive north east of Fort St. James. The community consists of 25 year-round residents who live within a 20-mile stretch of road known as the Germansen Corridor. The Corridor is surrounded by the newly created Omineca Provincial Park.
