Fruitvale is a village in the West Kootenay region of southeastern British Columbia. It is 16 km east of the city of Trail along Highway 3B.

Early community

One of eight original stations on the Nelson and Fort Sheppard Railway opened in 1893, the location was named Beaver Siding. The name Fruitvale appeared in 1907, promoting a new subdivision. Despite the climate being unsuitable for fruit growing, the settlement prospered and was incorporated as a village in 1952.

Geography

The village of Fruitvale lies in the Beaver Valley, which is made up of Fruitvale, Beaver Falls, and Montrose.

Demographics

In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Fruitvale had a population of 1,958 living in 858 of its 881 total private dwellings, a change of NaN% from its 2016 population of 1,920. With a land area of 2.7 km2, it had a population density of in 2021.

Religion

According to the 2021 census, religious groups in Fruitvale included:

Schools

Fruitvale Elementary School serves students from kindergarten to grade 7. High school students are bussed to J. Lloyd Crowe Secondary School in nearby Trail. Beaver Valley Middle School (formerly Beaver Valley Junior Secondary ) closed in 2002.

Sports

The KIJHL's Beaver Valley Nitehawks hockey team play in Fruitvale. The village also has facilities for curling, bowling, soccer, golf, and baseball.

Notable people