The West End is a South Shore neighbourhood

Neighbourhood

A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...

 of Kamloops, British Columbia

British Columbia

British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...

 in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

. It is the city's oldest residential neighbourhood and has the largest proportion of heritage-designated homes.

Geography

The West End, located on Kamloops' South Shore (i.e., south of the Thompson River

Thompson River

The Thompson River is the largest tributary of the Fraser River, flowing through the south-central portion of British Columbia, Canada. The Thompson River has two main branches called the South Thompson and the North Thompson...

), is generally considered to be the area of Kamloops bounded to the East by 2nd Avenue, to the West by Summit Drive, to the North by Victoria Street West and to the South by Columbia Street.
The neighbourhood is not necessarily regarded as the western end of Kamloops itself (the Brocklehurst

Brocklehurst, British Columbia

Brocklehurst is a neighbourhood in the western area of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. Brocklehurst is bordered by the Thompson River to the south, North Shore to the east, the Kamloops Airport to the west, and the Batchelor hills and Batchelor Heights aka Batchelor Hills to the north...

 area of the North Shore lies further to the West), but rather as the western end of the downtown area. Almost the entire West End is zoned residentially and is not home to more than a few businesses.

Topography

The West End is relatively one of the lowest areas of Kamloops, located far below Aberdeen Hills, but the neighbourhood itself is very hilly. Nicola Street West and Clarke Street slope considerably to the west of Lee Road, while Battle Street Hill carries the central and northern portions of the neighbourhood significantly upward toward the College Heights area below Thompson Rivers University

Thompson Rivers University

Thompson Rivers University is a comprehensive university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It offers students a broad range of courses, career streams, and the ability to ladder credits from diploma programs into full degrees...

.
Also notable are the large number of tall, broad deciduous trees planted in yards and along boulevards in the neighbourhood. These contribute to making the West End one of the greenest and shadiest areas of the city.

History and Heritage

During Kamloops' evolution in the 19th century, the West End was the main site of residential settlement in the growing town. The name of Nicola Wagon Road in the neighbourhood bears witness to the fact that the West End was the first concentration of inhabitation in what would become one of British Columbia's most spread-out cities.

The West End was home to many of Kamloops' most prominent early citizens, as demonstrated by the size and grandeur of many of the homes. While a number of more modern houses have encroached upon the neighbourhood's elegant atmosphere, wood-panelled and stucco

Stucco

Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...

 homes remain the norm.

Additional

The neighbourhood is located close to a number of significant Kamloops buildings, including the Old Courthouse, Sacred Heart Cathedral, St. Andrew's on the Square, Stuart Wood Elementary School (the city's first school), the Kamloops Museum and Archives and St. Ann's Academy.