Penticton, British Columbia

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Penticton () is a city in south central British Columbia between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake (at one time known officially as "Dog Lake"). According to the 2001 Census its population is 30,985 (in the greater area the population reaches 41,574). The name Penticton is derived from the local Salish Native language, meaning roughly translated "a place to stay forever".

Penticton's primary economic strengths are tourism, wine production and fruit orchards. Penticton hosts many world famous events annually, among them the Canadian Ironman Triathlon , the Okanagan Wine Festival, the Penticton Peach Festival and the Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival -- not to mention the mildly-embarrassing "Elvis Festival". Penticton also is the home of some of British Columbia's best recreational opportunities including Skiing at the Apex Alpine ski area, Boating and Fishing on Skaha Lake and Okanagan Lake , golfing on one of the area's many courses, hiking or biking the Kettle Valley Railway Trail, as well as one of the best Sport Climbing areas in Canada, Skaha Bluffs . There are approximately 54 wineries in the Okanagan, many which offer tours and tastings. Also a tourist favorite is drifting down the river channel in a tube, which can take between 1 and 3 hours, depending on how fast the water is moving.

It is the seat of the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District .

There are two high schools, Penticton Secondary and Princess Margaret. There is a small mall called Cherry Lane, a few plazas, and a gigantic Walmart. Downtown has many neat independent shops, coffee shops and restaurants, and the second-hand bookstore has amazing finds.

Penticton has a temperate semi-arid climate and averages slightly less than 300 millimetres of precipitation annually. Penticton is considered by many people to have the best climate in all of Canada, with very warm summers (daytime temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius are common, but humidity is low) and short winters with mean daily temperatures below freezing for only about 8 weeks out of the year. Penticton is sheltered from the worst effects of cold Arctic air in winter by the surrounding mountain ranges, blizzards and freezing rainstorms are very rare, tornadoes are almost unknown, the frost-free season averages more than 140 days a year, and the city also averages no more than 1 day of fog annually.

Pentiction is the home of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory , Canada's only radio telescope array.

Penticton is the former home of Donald Bakker . It's also the birthplace of actress Alexis Smith and of hockey player Andy Moog .

Penticton is served by the Penticton Regional Airport .

SISTER CITIES

Ikeda , Japan .

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Penticton, British Columbia