“My heart and soul are here in the Bulkley Valley.”
Those are the words of Smithers Mayor Gladys Atrill as her community has now reached the semi-finals of CBC’s Best Small Town in BC contest.
In online voting, Smithers beat out Bella Coola and Queen Charlotte to claim the northern region and advance.
Atrill told Vista Radio the contest is a nice way to show the rest of the province how great the community is.
“When we talk about what has advanced us through this contest, it’s the people being motivated to support their home community. Smithereens and friends of Smithereens I hope we keep our energy through this contest but it’s a fun thing for us to pat ourselves on the back.”
She added the residents who work and play here are the heartbeat of the community.
“I think over time, people have created something amazing in the community so there is a diversity of people doing different work- people that are involved in arts and culture, recreation, and together we have formed this strong community bond.”
“There is a blend of people here who are seriously loyal and it makes it a really fun place to be. It offers inspiration and opportunity and sometimes I stop and think ‘What more can we ask for?”
Furthermore, Atrill stated Smithers offers its fair share of picturesque views, similar to other places across the province.
“Not unlike lots of places in British Columbia, Smithers is beautiful. We are esthetically located in a lovely part of the province with Hudson Bay Mountain right at the end of Main Street and not far away the Bulkley River flows past.”
“Any of the outdoor recreation activities that inspire one except for an ocean are right here at our doorstep. Literally, wildlife is about and it’s a very fortunate place in terms of natural amenities,” said Atrill.
Smithers joins Lillooet, Ucluelet, and Kimberley in the final four.
The winning town will be announced on April 29th.