Mackenzie, British Columbia
Description
Mackenzie is a district municipality within the Fraser-Fort George Regional District in central British Columbia, Canada. The community is located at the south end of Williston Lake. The townsite, established by Alexandra Forest Industries (acquired by BC Forest Products in 1967) and Cattermole Timber (partnered with Jujo Paper in 1970 to create Finlay Forest Industries), was named for Sir Alexander MacKenzie (1764–1820). Mackenzie's main industries are logging, lumber, market pulp and tourism. Duz Cho Logging, sawmills, such as the Canfor Corporation Mackenzie sawmill (successor to BCFP's lumber division) and Conifex Timber, (successor to FFI) and the Paper Excellence kraft pulp mill (successor to BCFP's pulp division), are major employers in town. The addition of Thompson Creek Metals Mount Milligan copper-gold operation is a major new asset to the town.RecreationMackenzie is a destination for outdoor sports enthusiasts. In the winter, Mackenzie hosts dog sled racing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling competitions. Morfee Mountain overlooks Mackenzie and is a popular destination for local hiking and an off-road vehicle destination. Mackenzie has a swimming pool, indoor and outdoor skating rinks, a curling rink, and two developed beaches on Morfee Lake; First Beach is used primarily for recreational swimming, and Second Beach includes a boat launch. Mackenzie has a ski hill just east of the main town and is 45 minutes away from Powder King ski resort as well as Little Mac a small hill in town. Several lakes that are great for fishing spots.