The Greater Westside area encompasses West Kelowna City, Westbank First Nation, and the Regional District of Central Okanagan. Located along Highway 97, on the west side of Okanagan Lake, the communities of West Kelowna and Westbank First Nation are only a 4 hour drive from Vancouver, and a 1 hour flight to major cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. Below is a chart showing other cities/communities that are within reach of the Greater Westside:
12
Kelowna, BC
45
Penticton, BC
66
Vernon, BC
25
Summerland, BC
103
Osoyoos, BC
186
Kamloops, BC
380
Vancouver, BC
670
Prince George, BC
580
Calgary, AB
882
Edmonton, AB
490
Seattle, WA
393
Spokane, WA
About the Greater Westside
Similar to most areas of the Okanagan, the Greater Westside is a popular destination for tourists, business professionals, and new residents. Our visually stunning community and four-season playground offer something for everyone to enjoy. People from all over the world come to the Greater Westside to enjoy the scenic vistas, great people, and to experience the overall “quality of life”. Clean air, green space, beautiful lake and hillside views, along with a good climate; make the Greater Westside a desirable community to live, work, and play year-round. Beaches, parks, hiking, biking, cross country skiing, various shops, restaurants, arenas, vineyards, orchards, wineries and resorts are just a short list of all of the attractions you will find among the Greater Westside area.
Made up of two different communities, the Greater Westside is governed by West Kelowna City, as well as Westbank First Nation (WFN). Both West Kelowna City and WFN have formed a seamless community that transcends borders. The stunning sceneries and the warm and welcoming hospitality of the two communities together as one will surely impress visitors and future residents.
West Kelowna City
In 2007, the community voted to incorporate the west side into a District Municipality. Before incorporation, it had been governed as a rural area of the Regional District of Central Okanagan and the Province of BC. Ever since incorporation on December 6, 2007 the Greater Westside has experienced rapid growth residentially, industrially and commercially making a name for itself. With a population of approximately 30,000 residents, West Kelowna City provides a landscape with a mix of residential areas, orchards, vineyards, small store shopping and services, and a light industrial area.
Westbank First Nation
In 2005, Westbank First Nation became the first self-governing First Nation community in Canada. Approximately 9,000 residents of the Greater Westside reside on WFN lands, with 742 of those residents being band members. Westbank First Nation encompasses residential neighborhoods of all sizes, along with modern shopping in a big box retail environment, Two Eagles Golf Course and a number of hotels. When travelling through the Greater Westside, you will notice the Okanagan language on street signs, along with First Nation art and symbols incorporated into signage and buildings throughout the area.
Local Industry & Economic Development
The economic development of the Greater Westside has seen significant growth since incorporation in 2007. The main industries that support our growing economy on are:
Agriculture
Light Industry
Tourism
Construction
Retail
Wineries
Lumber Manufacturing
Services
For more information on the economic development visit any of the following sites:
The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission
West Kelowna City
Westbank First Nation
Utilities
Telus & Shaw
Telephone
Telus & Shaw
Cable
Natural Gas
Fortis BC
BC Hydro
Hydro
Tourism
The Greater Westside area is a four season playground because of the year round facilities and attractions it has to offer. Summer months attract visitors for warm climate, sunny beaches, swimming, hiking, biking, boating, picnics, parks, beautiful scenery, and the delicious abundance of fresh fruit. Our plentiful orchards, vineyards and wineries provide visitors with a memorable experience on the Westside Wine Trail; a total of eight family owned wineries/culinary professionals positioned conveniently along the trail. During the winter months, Crystal Mountain Ski Resort in Westbank is a well-known family style ski facility and Telemark Nordic Club offers an excellent setting for cross country skiing and snow shoeing.
For updated tourist information check out the following sites:
Visitors Centre
Visitor Information Centre
The Westbank Visitor Centre operates year-round and provides information services to all visitors of the Greater Westside area. Located in the Westbank Museum, you will find plenty of information about the Greater Westside area and learn a little bit about our history.
If you have any questions regarding tourism on the Greater Westside, you can find more information at http://visitwestside.com/ or contact the Visitor Centre at 250-768-2712 or wkvisitorcentre@gmail.com and info@westbankmuseum.com.