Salmon Arm, a city nestled in the Columbia Shuswap Regional District of the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada, is a place of rich history and vibrant tourism. With a population of 17,706 as of 2016, Salmon Arm has grown from a municipal district incorporated on May 15, 1905, to a bustling city that houses the head offices of the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District.
The city of Salmon Arm derives its name from its geographical location along the Salmon Arm of Shuswap Lake. The lake has four "arms": Shuswap Arm in the west, Seymour Arm in the north, Anstey Arm in the northeast, and Salmon Arm in the south. The southern arm, named after the large runs of salmon that used to run up the creeks that empty into the lake, is where the city of Salmon Arm is located.
The history of Salmon Arm is closely tied to the laying of the Canadian Pacific Railway in September 1885. While miners and settlers sought gold in the surrounding areas, the beaches of Salmon Arm remained virtually untouched. By the end of the 1890s, the town had grown to include two general stores, a school, and a hotel, with a population of over 200 citizens.
In 1904, Salmon Arm gained a reputation for its excellent fruit harvest, with local businessmen exporting fruit to larger, more populated towns. In May 1905, a formal local government was established at the request of its citizens, and in 1912, Salmon Arm upgraded its town status to an official city.
Salmon Arm is situated on the shores of Shuswap Lake, where the Salmon River empties into the Salmon Arm reach of the Lake. Directly south of the city lies Mount Ida, to the west Fly Hills, and across Shuswap Lake lies Bastion Mountain.
Salmon Arm experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate with strong maritime influences due to its relative proximity to the Pacific Ocean. The mean temperature in December and January is −3.7 °C (25.3 °F), and in July it is 19.1 °C (66.4 °F).
In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Salmon Arm had a population of 19,432 living in 8,106 of its 8,517 total private dwellings, a change of 9.7% from its 2016 population of 17,706. With a land area of 155.19 km2 (59.92 sq mi), it had a population density of 125.2/km2 (324.3/sq mi) in 2021.
Salmon Arm is a hub of cultural activities, especially during the summer months when the city experiences its largest fluctuation of population with holidaymakers visiting the city and surrounding area. The annual Salmon Arm Roots and Blues festival, held every third weekend of August, draws large crowds with an international roster of performers. The city is also home to a multiplex movie theatre (Salmar Grand) and a single screen theatre for movies and live stage performances (Salmar Classic), both owned and operated by a non-profit community organization, the Salmar Community Association.
Salmon Arm offers a number of recreational facilities and sports leagues. The city has fields for soccer/rugby/football, fields for baseball/softball, as well as a 6 sheet curling rink (SACC), five-pin bowling lanes (lakeside lanes bowling center), several golf courses and many seasonal recreational businesses. The Salmon Arm Silverbacks hockey team, in the BCHL, plays at Shaw Centre (formerly the Sunwave Centre).
Salmon Arm lies on the Trans-Canada Highway approximately halfway between Vancouver and Calgary. It is also at the top of Highway 97, which leads to Vernon and Kelowna. The Canadian Pacific Railway also runs through Salmon Arm. Salmon Arm Airport mainly serves general aviation aircraft, though scheduled service to Vancouver and Calgary was available by Northern Hawk Aviation until it ceased operations.
In 1998, an area of 13,500 acres immediately southwest of Salmon Arm was burnt to the extent of deforestation by a wildfire started by lightning. The fire came so close that trees in many backyards were singed and barn paint was peeled. The media reported "20 homes and 15 barns" were destroyed during the firestorm in the Silver Creek area to the south of Salmon Arm.
Salmon Arm's sister city is Inashiki, Ibaraki, Japan. There is a pavilion near McGuire Lake in honour of the friendship between Japan and Salmon Arm.
The Punch-Out!! character Bear Hugger resides in Salmon Arm. Additionally, he even has an attack of the same name.
