Quesnel, British Columbia
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Quesnel is a town in the north of British Columbia, Canada.
- Location: Template:Coor dm
- Elevation: 474 m (1,555 feet)
- Average Annual Snowfall: 166 cm/year
- Average Annual Rainfall: 36 cm/year
- Frost Free Days: 179
- Average Winter Temperature: - 5 C
- Extreme Minimum Temperature: - 46.7 C
- Average Summer Temperature: 16 C
- Extreme Maximum Temperature: 40.6 C
Its main claim to fame may be limited to its having hosted the 2000 British Columbia Winter Games, an annual provincial amateur sports competition.
Quesnel was originally called 'Quesnellemouth' to distinguish it from 'Quesnel Forks', 60 miles up river. In 1870 it had been shortened to Quesnelle and by 1900 it was spelled the way it is now.
Quesnel runs on its forestry industry. Home to 6 different factories, including a medium density fiber plant and a pulp mill, it produces enough income to support more than 27000 citizens. Because of Northern British Columbia's small population, it is surrounded by lakes and virtually untouched wilderness for hundreds of kilometers in any direction.
Located nearly evenly between the two larger cities of Prince George and Williams Lake, it is on the main route to Northern British Columbia and the Yukon. It is also home to one of the claimed world's largest gold pans (disputed by Nome, Alaska and others). Quesnel is also located along the gold mining trail known as the Cariboo Wagon Road and was the commercial centre of the Cariboo Gold Rush.
The local historical city of Barkerville gave Quesnel its yearly 'Bill Barker Days' festival.
Quesnel is sister city to Shiraoi, Japan and Val d'Or, Quebec.
External link
- City of Quesnel website (http://www.city.quesnel.bc.ca/Broadband/default.asp)