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KARI MEDIG 58 BCBUSINESS JUNE 2014 TOURISM SMITHERS artists especially," says Mayor Taylor Bachrach. "Our hope is to create this vibrant gathering space where we can showcase some of that local talent." The quaint, walkable downtown core of Smith- ers didn't get that way by accident. In the late 1970s, as most small resource-oriented towns were hollowing out their old downtown cores in favour of strip malls along the highway, Smithers was transforming its Main Street with tourist appeal in mind. A small group of prescient business peo- ple and local elected o cials enacted a town bylaw enforcing a new alpine theme. All downtown buildings must have "peaked roofs, facade articulation, deep overhangs, wood timber framing, window trims, decorative woodwork" and other esthetic features. Tourists entering the town are greeted by Alpine Al, a breglass statue of a man blowing an alpine horn. The current generation has contin- ued the legacy, but focused its e orts on outdoor recreation, deve lopi ng Nor t h America's irst dedi- cated non-motorized backcountry skiing area. For those who prefer a lift, Hudson Bay Mountain is only 24 kilometres from town. The promi- nent peak looming over the valley is home to the region's largest resort. Famous for its powder and dramatic landscape, it was the location for the 2011 Liam Neeson thriller The Grey. Hud- son Bay boasts four lifts, but people in the region seem to still prefer to go up under their own power. In March, the resort hosted the rst annual Extreme Everest Challenge, a 24-hour competi- tion to cover the equivalent vertical of Mount Everest by climbing up the runs with touring skins on their skis and ski- ing down. Mayor Bachrach also cred- its part of the town's tourism success to what he claims is the "world's best steelhead shing." When competing for tourist dollars, Smithers has a few advantages other nearby towns lack. Since extending the runway in 2009, the local airport has had daily ights from Vancouver. It's also a provincial government centre, so average incomes are higher than the provincial average; this helps support the small main street cafés, bars and restaurants through lean shoulder sea- sons, when neither the mountain nor the river is attracting dollars. Hotel tax revenues to the local government have more than doubled in the past decade, with two new properties being added in that time. BURNS LAKE Burns Lake (pop. 2,029) has not fared as well as Smithers in its tourism e orts, with 5,209 tourists stopping at its visi- tor's centre in 2013 to its neighbour's 6,434. Burns Lake is oriented along the highway, which makes it a convenient place to pull over for gas and a snack, but less inviting as a place to hang out p56-59-Smithers_june.indd 58 2014-05-05 3:36 PM