Community

Armstrong Spallumcheen sits at the north end of the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. The town of Armstrong is small, walkable, and right alongside the regional highway. The highway runs past town, not through it, which means the historic downtown stays quiet. Spallumcheen, the area around Armstrong, is known nationally for its high-calibre farms.

What it feels like

Downtown Armstrong looks like a postcard. Old-timey facades, painted wayfinding signs, and an outdoor train station park. A couple of excellent bakeries, top-notch coffee shops, and a half-dozen restaurants line the main streets of the historic downtown. No big-box stores anywhere in the municipality.

That absence is the point. Armstrong Spallumcheen kept its own character because nobody ever paved over it.

What’s here

Farms. Lots of farms. Spallumcheen Township wraps around Armstrong on three sides and most of that land is in agriculture. Dairy, vegetables, flowers, cheese, eggs, beef, and grain all come out of the valley. The Big Cheese Festival started here in 2013 because cheese is genuinely part of the local culture. Read more about Armstrong’s cheese history.

The outdoor recreation is hard to overstate. Silver Star Mountain Resort sits forty-five minutes away for skiing and mountain biking. Kal Lake is thirty minutes south. Okanagan Lake is twenty-five minutes away for boating and swimming. Mara Lake is forty minutes north and Mabel Lake is forty-five minutes east. Hundreds of kilometers of forest service roads, snowmobile trails, motorcycle routes, and camping spots run out of the valley in every direction. Bicycling routes loop through farmland and forest.

The chamber office at 3005 Wood Avenue also serves as the Visitor Centre. Stop by for in-person curated tourism tips.

Who lives here

Many residents commute to Vernon, Kelowna, or Salmon Arm for work. They live in Armstrong Spallumcheen because the small-town vibe is real, the housing is more reasonable than the central Okanagan, and the lakes, mountains, and trails are minutes away. The community runs on volunteers. The chamber, the IPE (fall fair), the fire halls, the museum, and most local events are powered by people who show up because they love making this place what it is.

Considering Armstrong Spallumcheen?

If you are thinking about opening a business here, please visit our become a member page. If you are thinking about relocating, come visit during a festival or stop by the chamber office on Wood Avenue.