South Peace Historical Society

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  • Table of Contents

    • Part 1: First Nations of the Peace River Region
    • Part 2: The Fur Trade Era
    • Part 3: Transportation and Communication
    • Part 4: Old Timers and the Price of Land
    • Part 5: Dawson Creek: The Story of the Community
    • Part 6: Mysteries, Adventures and Indian Legends
    • Part 7: Arts, Crafts and Recreation
    • Part 8: Agriculture
    • Part 9: Church Histories
    • Part 10: Schools
    • Part 11: Health Care
    • Part 12: Industries and Enterprises
    • Part 13: Policing the Peace
    • Part 14: Pouce Coupe, Rolla, and Other South Peace Communities
    • Part 15: Chetwynd and the Fort St. John Area
    • Part 16: The Alberta Peace
    • Part 17: Natural History of the Peace River Region
    • Part 18: Interviews with Old Timers
    • Part 19: Remembering Our Veterans

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12-015: Dawson Creek – BC’s New Gas Town

By Harry Giles
The industrial development of any country depends primarily upon availability of raw products and fuel. Provided easy and cheap means of transportation are at hand, distance from seat of manufacture is no barrier. Many in the southern coastal centres of B.C. are hoping to get natural gas – the modern fuel – from Alberta. They either don’t know or are ignoring the fact that they own a natural gas and oil field within their own borders with a potential at least equal to any in Alberta. The search for these fuels in B.C. is only just beginning but results are most encouraging and it only needs a more reasonable system of permits by the government to create a very intensive search. In Alberta, east and north of Dawson Creek, ten wells have been brought in with an estimated capacity of 141,365,000 cubic feet daily. On the B.C. side figures are not readily available but approximately 17,000,000 cu. ft. is known to have been discovered. It is reasonable to presume that the gas reservoir in the Alberta section of the Peace River district extends below the boundary line into B.C.

The only “Gas Town” in B.C. at the present time is Dawson Creek, the “hub” of the current search for oil and gas in the province. On October 31 last year a flare was lighted at the Mile Zero post in the centre of Dawson Creek indicating that natural gas was then an actual fact in B.C. The gas had been brought from the Alberta side 17 miles away as the heavier producing wells had not been brought in on the B.C. side of the boundary at that time.

This year two producers with an estimated capacity of 500,000 and 10,000,000 cu. ft. daily have been brought in, in the Sunrise Valley district within twenty miles west of Dawson Creek.

The village of Dawson Creek with a population of 4,000 had several honors. Besides being the first community in the province to use natural gas it is also the starting point of the Alaska Highway and hopes some day to be the terminus of the John Hart Highway giving direct road connection with the rest of British Columbia. During the 1949-50 shipping season over 3½ million bushels of grain was shipped through the Dawson Creek elevators, the largest quantity from any initial shipping point in the British Commonwealth.

It was on January 15, 1931 that the Northern Alberta Railways brought the first train into Dawson Creek. At that time the population was about 200. On May 26, 1936 the village was incorporated with Geo M. Bisset, W. O. Harper and A. S. Chamberlain as first Commissioners. The population was then 750. The 1937 village assessment roll showed land valued at $20,535, improvements $161,407 and 70 trade licenses with receipts from all sources $1,813. In 1950 assessments were land $599,957, improvements $3,065,541, trade licenses 222. Total revenue (excluding waterworks) $134,314. The credit balance at end of the year was $31,828,83. Assets, including waterworks, are listed as $821,967,83 and debentures debt is $171,914. The village owns its own water system; over 12 miles of gravel roads; 4½ miles of earth roads; 7¾ miles of sewer; 29 miles of water mains. Building permits in 1950 were for $631,000.

Public elementary and high schools in use or under construction are valued at well over $1,000,000 and will accommodate 1,2000 pupils. In addition to these, work has

started on a new Catholic school estimated to cost over $300,000 and accommodate 250. The present school attendance at all schools in the village is 1,350 and it is estimated that the opening of the fall term will see all schools filled.

The B.C. Power Commission supplies light and power. The present capacity of the power plant is 2,350 K.V.A. Two of the five engines have been converted to use natural gas and a new gas engine with a rating of 750 K.V.A. is being installed this summer. Peak output last January was approximately a half million Kilowatt-hours. Applications for power already on file will absorb all the additional power of the new unit. During 1950, 45 farms were connected and many more districts are applying for service.

Dawson Creek is looking forward to the day when natural gas from this district will be piped to all parts of the province so that all may enjoy the pleasure of a cheap, clean and convenient fuel.

 

« 12-014: The Domestic Use of Natural Gas

12-016: The First Gas Well in the Western Peace River District »

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