Kent (British Columbia)

Kent is a municipality of 6,000 people (2016) north of the Fraser River in the Fraser Valley region of British Columbia. It lies north of Chilliwack and south of Harrison Hot Springs and includes the unincorporated villages of Agassiz and Harrison Mills.

Understand
Kent is made up of several communities. Agassiz is the district's commercial and industrial centre, and also the largest community. Harrison Mills in western Kent consists of mainly agricultural land. Harrison Highlands (formerly known as Mount Woodside, which is still the name of the mountain that Harrison Highlands is on) is a residential development in central-west Kent. Ruby Creek to the northeast is a mixed rural-residential community. Rockwell Drive, at the eastern shore of Harrison Lake, serves as a residential and commercial resort-like community.

History
Kent's growth was ignited by the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush in 1858. Shortly after, the first commercial activity in the area took place between the local First Nations people and the Hudson's Bay Company fur traders. Rapid commercial growth followed as boats started to routinely stop in the area en route to the Fraser Canyon.

The construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) around 1881 introduced more development along areas in Kent near the Fraser River and Harrison River. In 1895, the District of Kent was incorporated, taking the name of the English county where hops were also an important crop. Shortly after the incorporation, the Canadian Pacific Railway opened, bringing along more commercial activity to the area.

While the traditional economic merchandise in the area was agriculture-related, there has been a diversification since the 1900s. Roads started to be built between 1901 and 1940, becoming one of the major sources of employment. A bridge crossing over the Harrison River opened in 1926, creating the first road connection to the west of Kent.

In 1948, the Fraser River Flood struck and wiped out Kent's hop industry. However, this disaster unexpectedly benefited Kent as corn became the new primary agricultural product of the region, leading to Agassiz's claim as the "Corn Capital of BC"; this claim is still used today.

Mountain Institution, also known as the Agassiz Mountain Prison, is a federal maximum-security prison at the western end of Kent Prairie, just north of the foot of what is known as Agassiz Mountain. It was constructed in the 1960s to house Freedomite Doukhobours in the wake of their arrest for various bombings in the Kootenay region. It became the site of a large temporary tenement camp of their followers and supporters.

Climate
Like the rest of southwestern British Columbia, Kent enjoys a wet but moderate to mild climate in the wintertime with drier summers, with very few major temperature fluctuations. The warmest months are usually July and August, with an average of 23 °C (74 °F); its coldest month is normally January, averaging 2.5 °C (35 °F).

By car
The easiest way to get in to Kent is by car. The fastest way from Vancouver or Hope is to take the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1), exit at Highway 9 and follow it north. A slower but more scenic way is to take Highway 7, which connects Kent to Dewdney, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows and Vancouver.

By train

 * For westbound trips from Toronto toVancouver, the train stops at in Chilliwack.
 * For eastbound trips from Vancouver to Toronto, the nearest station where train stops is north of the Fraser River at.
 * For eastbound trips from Vancouver to Toronto, the nearest station where train stops is north of the Fraser River at.

Get around
The Kent district is rural and sprawling, and there isn't much bus service, so a car is usually necessary to get around. From the Fraser River in the south to the foot of Mt Woodside in the north, Kent is on a very flat river valley, good terrain for bicycling. The townsite of Agassiz around Pioneer Park is on a 19th-century walkable scale; park your car on Pioneer Ave and take a stroll.

By public transit

 * Operates bus route 71 between downtown Chilliwack and Harrison Hot Springs with stops in Rosedale, Popkum, and the Agassiz (within Kent). Operates multiple times per day from Monday to Saturday. During the summer, there are also trips on Sundays.
 * Operates bus route 72 between Hope and the Agassiz area of Kent. Operates multiple times per day from Monday to Saturday.
 * Operates bus route 72 between Hope and the Agassiz area of Kent. Operates multiple times per day from Monday to Saturday.

Hospital

 * The nearest hospital is in Chilliwack.