- 1 Name origin
- 2 History
- 3 Events
- 4 Recreation
- 5 Geography
- 6 Demographics
- 7 Architecture
- 8 Public spaces
- 9 Education
- 10 Sports
- 11 Infrastructure
- 12 Notable residents
- 13 Media
- 14 International relations
- 15 See also
- 16 References
- 17 External links
The name Penticton is derived from a word in the Okanagan language. It is conventionally translated by the city's tourism promoters as "a place to stay forever" but is actually a reference to the year-round flow of Okanagan Lake through Penticton where it enters Skaha Lake. Differing accounts of the meaning are given in the British Columbia Geographical Names Information System entry for the city:
"Place where water passes beyond." (information from Isaac Harris, published in Vernon News, 18 July 1918); compare with: "Derived from the Okanagan dialect of the Salish tribe, the word Pen-tak-tin meaning 'a place of permanent abode where waters pass by'." (50th Anniversary booklet of Penticton, 1958)From the Indian name Pente-hik-ton, "ever" or "forever", referring to the constant, steady flow of the Okanagan River out of the lake.... applied by the Indians to the locality at the outlet of the lake, meaning that the stream ran on ever, or forever, in contrast to other streams which dried up during the summer (6th Report of the Okanagan Historical Society); compare with: "Derives from the Okanagan word Sin-peen-tick-tin, loosely translatable as 'permanent place'." (c1980 advice from Randy Bouchard, BC Indian Language Project).
The site of the city was first settled by the Okanagan people, of the Interior Salish language group, who initially named the community Phthauntac, meaning the "ideal meeting place", followed by Penticton, meaning a "place to stay forever", or officially "a place where people live year-round" in the Okanagan language. They settled around the city's two lakes: Skaha Lake and Okanagan Lake; the former was originally known as Dog Lake. Their descendants are based at the Penticton Indian Band, a First Nations government part of the Okanagan Nation Alliance situated near Penticton.
The sternwheeler S.S. Aberdeen, which began service on Okanagan Lake in 1892, meant that more services could be shipped to the area. A group of residents formed their own local public government board for the community, by 1907, in the hopes of promoting the area. It was referred to as the Board of Trade, who attempted to specialize in arts, commerce, education, and recreation. Another sternwheeler was launched that same year, the S.S. Okanagan, for use on Okanagan Lake, while other sternwheelers served Penticton and other communities on Skaha Lake.
Penticton was incorporated as a district municipality on December 31, 1908. Shortly after the district was incorporated, the fruit trees planted by Ellis, many of them apple trees, started to grow. Residents of the area packed fruit in boxes, so they could distribute it worldwide. In 1912, the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) developed the Incola Hotel for the city, which operated for approximately 70 years.
During World War I, the S.S. Sicamous came to the community, while the Kettle Valley Railway train service began operating, by moving specific passengers. In 1949, Penticton purchased the ship from the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Penticton Regional Airport was developed during World War II due to wartime military air transportation concerns, which acted as an emergency landing strip until its tarmac was completed. Its land was expropriated from the Penticton Indian Band in 1949 under the War Measures Act.
In 1948, a provincial highway opened between Hope and Princeton, which allowed access to Penticton, and created competition for the Kettle Valley Railway; headquarters for the railway were chosen to be in Penticton, in 1910, but the location burnt down in 1964. Much of the railroad's original route has been converted to a multi-use recreational trail, known as the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, which carries the Trans-Canada Trail through this part of British Columbia.  It was incorporated as a city on May 10, 1948, with the governor general of Canada declaring this. Reeve Robert Lyon served Penticton as the first mayor, while Lord Alexander was made a freeman of the city.
Penticton hosts many events annually, among them the Challenge-Penticton Triathlon, the Valley First Granfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan, the Okanagan Wine Festival, the Okanagan Children's Festival, Fest-of-Ale BC, the Penticton Peach Festival (commonly known as "Peachfest"), the Miss Penticton Pageant, which takes place during the Penticton Peach Festival, the [ Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival, the Peach City Beach Cruise, and the "Elvis Festival" which was featured in the Summer 2006 issue of British Columbia Magazine. Penticton was home to the Ironman Canada race from 1983 until 2012.
Penticton is home to recreational opportunities such as skiing at the Apex Mountain Resort ski area, boating and fishing on Skaha Lake and Okanagan Lake. There is golfing on the area's many courses, as well as hiking or biking the Kettle Valley Railway Trail, and rock climbing at Skaha Bluffs. Penticton is home to KIJHL team the Penticton Lakers, the BCHL hockey team Penticton Vees who play throughout the winter months, as well as the PCSL soccer team Penticton Pinnacles, who play from May until July.
In September 2006, residents voted 80.3% in favour of the construction of the South Okanagan Events Centre. The $73 million arena, sports complex and convention centre could possibly serve as a summer or early fall training facility for the Vancouver Canucks and is the home of the BCHL's Penticton Vees, so named in honour of the senior hockey team that in 1955 won the Ice Hockey World Championships against Russia. The Centre has boosted the city's convention market and is a popular stop on concert tours and for other special events.
The Penticton Art Gallery (formerly the Art Gallery of the South Okanagan) is a registered not-for-profit, charitable organization. Local and visiting artists show their works at the gallery. The PAG offers workshops and holds seasonal events. The During the winter holidays, there is an art under $300 event for gift giving accessibility.
Penticton is the hub of wine tourism in the Okanagan Valley with access to 88 wineries within an hour's drive. Nearby Naramata has 22 wineries at last count- by the beginning of the 2009 Fall Wine Festival.
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail, with trail heads leading to more than 160 km of flat, railbed trails for hiking and biking outings, can be accessed from Penticton. This trail is part of the Trans Canada Trail. Penticton has finished the building of the Penticton Aquatic Centre
Penticton is the largest city by area and population in the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District, which is part of the Okanagan as a whole, for which the city is the third largest in the region. It is the 21st largest settlement in British Columbia itself by population, while its metropolitan area, including the city plus Okanagan-Similkameen Electoral Area D, serves as the 71st largest in Canada; by area, Penticton ranks 20th in its province; statistics are based on the Canada 2011 Census. It lies at the south bottom of Okanagan Lake, and north beginning of Skaha Lake. Between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake are a number of residential areas, farms, which grow orchard and wine products.
Pine and fir are commonly found in the mountains and high country around Penticton, which include the Okanagan Highland, and to its east, the Monashee Mountains. Apex Mountain Resort, which sits 33 kilometres (21 mi) west of the city on the Thompson Plateau, is home to the tallest mountain peak in the Penticton area; ski services are offered. The Okanagan Highland is an intermediary plateau-like hilly country between the Okanagan Valley and the Monashee Mountains.
Penticton has a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with little precipitation, warm to hot summers with cool nights, and moderate, cloudy winters. With 346.0 mm (13.62 in) of annual precipitation, Penticton is the fourth driest city in Canada. It averages 58.7 cm (23.1 in) of snowfall per year.
The high daytime temperatures throughout the summer means that Penticton has on average the second most number of days in a year over 30 °C (86.0 °F) (after Kamloops) and the city has the lowest amount of fog in Canada. Penticton experiences 1,923 sunshine hours, or 39 percent of daylight hours, varying between a low of 13 percent in December and January to 63 percent in August.
Mean relative humidity hovers between 63–77 percent in the morning throughout the year, but afternoon mean relative humidity is more uneven, ranging from 36 percent in July to 69 percent in January and December. The local and upcoming weather of Penticton is observed at the Penticton Regional Airport by Environment Canada. It typically experiences four distinct seasons annually, having warm summers, relatively mild winters, and little snow, according to the British Columbia government based on statistics from Environment Canada. Despite having a mild winter, Penticton often sees moderate stretches of below freezing weather, typically in December and January.
According to SkyscraperPage, there are eight notable buildings in Penticton, the largest of which are the Lakeshore buildings, which contains 15 floors, with the building's construction by concrete completing in 2008. The building is associated with an engineering organization, construction company, and real estate agency, but was made for residential use. The Athens Creek Tower serves as the second largest building in Penticton, and contains ten floors, with its construction ending in 2011. The Alysen Place also contains ten floors, and thus is the second largest building in Penticton, along with the Athens Creek. Third largest building, Cherry Lane Towers, is home to eight floors, and its use is also residential.
Due to its warm climate, the city has a diverse array of public spaces, from parks to hiking trails. It is home to ten public parks, including Gyro Park, Lakawanna Park, Marina Way Park, Okanagan Lake Park, Penticton Youth Park, Rose Garden, Rotary Centennial Pavilion, Rotary Park, Skaha Lake Park, and Munson Mountain. There are also seven beaches situated in the city, including Okanagan Lake Beach, Skaha Lake Beach, Airport Beach, Marina Way Beach, Okanagan Lake Park Beach, Sudbury Beach, and Three Mile Beach.
The larger metropolitan area contains the Okanagan Falls Provincial Park, located in the unincorporated community Okanagan Falls. Penticton maintains a policy on dogs that are allowed at parks or beaches. Other public spaces include trails, such as part of the Trans Canada Trail, and Kettle Valley Railway; the former was formed throughout Canada, while the latter runs through Penticton and nearby city Kelowna. Rock climbing area Skaha Bluffs is located south of city centre on a hillside above the Skaha Lake in the Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park. It is the second most popular rock climbing area in British Columbia, after the Smoke Bluffs in Squamish.
Penticton is served by School District 67 Okanagan Skaha, a school district with education institutions also based in nearby communities Naramata, Kaleden, and Summerland; its head office is held in Penticton itself. The district administers children from kindergarten to grade 12 locally, those of which are between kindergarten to grade five attend elementary schools, while children in grades between grade six to eight attend middle schools; ninth to 12th graders are served by secondary schools. School District 67 Okanagan Skaha maintains 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, and three secondary schools.
The city is home to a Sprott Shaw College campus, and an Okanagan College campus, the latter of which, in 2010, had an enrollment of 610. It also contains the Okanagan Hockey School, which has had partnerships with professional hockey teams, such as the Vancouver Canucks.
The Penticton Public Library was founded in 1909, from 1948 to 1968 it was a part of the Okanagan Regional Library. In 1968 a successful referendum separated the library from the Okanagan Regional Library. 
The city hosts games played by ice hockey teams Penticton Vees, a junior "A" team in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), and Penticton Lakers, a junior "B" team in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL), at the South Okanagan Events Centre. The former were founded in 1961, and have won the Doyle Cup, and Royal Bank Cup, while the latter were established in 2009. The Penticton Upperdek Vees are also a junior ice hockey that were founded in 2008, and also play at the South Okanagan Events Centre; people who have special needs are part of the team's squad, which is in the Special Needs Hockey League (SNHL).
While the Penticton Pinnacles are a soccer team that were established in 1997 that play at the Kings Park for the Pacific Coast Soccer League (PCSL), the Penticton Pistoleras, a local roller durby team part of the South Okanagan Roller Derby Association, and Penticton Harlequins, a local rugby team in the British Columbia Rugby Union, also play tournaments for the city; the South Okanagan Event Centre serves as both of their venues. Beside team sports, the city hosted the 2010 British Columbia Scotties Tournament of Hearts, 2010 World Junior A Challenge, and 2013 Continental Cup of Curling.
Mass local transit in Penticton and Okanagan-Similkameen is offered by the Penticton Transit System under the BC Transit label, operating on six routes. There is also a service for people who are unable to use regular transit, HandyDART. The bus transportation system is funded by Penticton, Okanagan-Similkameen, and BC Transit. Its services are provided to points of interest, such as the Cherry Lane Shopping Centre and Downtown Penticton. Greyhound Canada also offers bus services to the city.
A number of parks and recreation transportation services are offered in the city, including trails, such as part of the Trans Canada Trail, and Kettle Valley Railway; the former runs through Canada, while the latter runs through Penticton, and Kelowna. Headquarters for the trail was chosen to be in Penticton in 1910, but the location burnt down in 1964. The city has access to transportation corridors running north, south, east, and west, while the Highway 97 can also be accessed.
It is served by the Penticton Regional Airport, a regional airport located 1.8 nautical miles (3.3 km; 2.1 mi) southwest of city centre. Although it has historically provided flights to several destinations, the airport offers flights to the Vancouver International Airport, which are provided by Air Canada Express; these services are provided three times daily, while the exception of Sunday, when two flights are available. The city is also home to the Penticton Water Aerodrome (TC LID: CAH8), a water aerodrome situated adjacent to the Penticton Regional Airport.
- Andy Bell, pro freestyle motocross champion, host of MTV's Nitro Circus
- George Bowering, poet, first ever Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate
- Layla Claire, soprano
- Thomas Ellis, the first European settler in the area, in 1866
- Brett Hull, NHL hockey player, graduate of Penticton High School
- Paul Kariya, retired NHL player, graduate of Penticton Secondary School
- Duncan Keith, NHL hockey player, graduate of Penticton Secondary School
- Alan Kerr, hockey player
- Shane Koyczan, spoken word poet
- Spencer Krug, musician from the band Wolf Parade
- Ian McCartney, political essayist, graduate of Penticton Secondary School
- Andy Moog, hockey player
- Brendan Morrison, NHL hockey player, graduate of Penticton High School
- Terry David Mulligan, actor and television personality
- Michael Musclow, musician
- Bob Nicholson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada
- Cameron Phillips, radio broadcaster
- Justin Pogge, hockey player
- Mike Reno, musician from the band Loverboy
- Mark Allan Robinson, political activist
- Alexis Smith, actress
- Blake Wesley, hockey player
- Ogopogo, water based creature
- AM 800 - CKOR, soft adult contemporary
- FM 93.7 - CBTP-FM, CBC Radio One
- FM 97.1 - CJMG-FM, hot contemporary (Sun FM)
- FM 100.7 - CIGV-FM, country music
In early 1975, residents of the Penticton area traveled to Japan, in order to search for business opportunities. They met Kaneyasa Marutani, the mayor of Ikeda, Hokkaido, a town in the Nakagawa regional district of Japan. He claimed that the town was proposing a sister city relationship, and stated that Penticton was a reasonable option, due to its similarities with winery production, cattle industry, and geographic features. Later that year, residents of the Ikeda area toured Penticton and met with the government of Penticton, reaching a decision to become a sister city in 1977.
Since 1977, Penticton has served as a sister city of Ikeda. The relationship is one of the oldest in Canada, with a number of residents having exchanged visits to the respective locations annually. In 1993, there was consideration for building a Japanese garden in Penticton, in order to honor their agreement, with the garden's construction beginning in 1997. It is known as the Penticton–Ikeda Japanese Garden.
- List of mayors of Penticton
- Penticton Indian Band
- Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory
- Penticton Herald
- Penticton Vees
- "Lakers fall short in late game surge". Penticton Herald. October 26, 2012.
- "Hockey". Vernon Museum and Archives. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Sequeira, Emanuel (April 28, 2012). "Penticton Vees clinch Doyle Cup championship". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Patton, Kristi (May 13, 2012). "Penticton Vees win RBC Cup". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- "Accessible Recreation". Penticton. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Sequira, Emanuel (June 7, 2012). "Pinnacles FC district teams perform well at Kings Park". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Sequira, Emanuel (July 21, 2011). "Pinnacles confident heading into PCSL championship". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Sequeira, Emanuel (August 14, 2012). "Pistoleras fired up for K City Rollers". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Sequeira, Emanuel (November 22, 2012). "Pistoleras shoot down the Fort McMurray Tar Sand Betties". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- Moorhouse, John (September 17, 2012). "Harlequins win provincial championship". Penticton Herald. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- "Sponsor Types". Penticton Curling Club. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- "2010 World Junior A Challenge". Hockey Canada. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- "World team leads early at 2013 Continental Cup curling competition". Edmonton Journal. January 10, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- "North America extends lead at Continental Cup curling event". CBC News. January 12, 2013. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
- "Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen" (PDF). BC Transit. June 2006. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- "Transportation". Penticton. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- "Penticton Transit System & Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System". BC Transit. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
- "Culture & History". Tourism British Columbia. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- Canada Flight Supplement. Effective 0901Z 6 February 2014 to 0901Z 3 April 2014
- Patton, Kristi (January 17, 2012). "Penticton hopes to land WestJet service". Penticton Western News. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
- "Press Release" (PDF). Pacific Coastal Airlines. July 18, 2007. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- "Table A11". Transport Canada. Retrieved January 2, 2013.
- Kidd, Steve (November 1, 2012). "Penticton lobbies Air Canada for Calgary service". Penticton Western News. Retrieved January 2, 2012.
- "Penticton Regional Airport". Penticton Regional Airport. Retrieved November 22, 2012. Note: Information is listed under the arrivals and departures headings.
- NAV CANADA's Water Aerodrome Supplement. Effective 0901Z 7 March 2013 to 0901Z 3 April 2014
- "About Us". Penticton–Ikeda Sister City Society. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- "Ikeda – Our Sister City". Penticton. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
- Breese-Biagioni, Janelle (June 1, 1998). Penticton, British Columbia: Silhouette of Four Seasons. Penticton: Penticton. ISBN 9780969844952.
- McGrath, T.M. (1992). History of Canadian Airports. Toronto: Transport Canada, Government of Canada. ISBN 9780921633112.
- Langford, Dan; Langford, Sandra (March 1, 2002). Cycling Kettle Valley. Penticton: Rocky Mountain Books. ISBN 978-0921102885.