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Greetings! Welcome to Prince George! It is the greatest city that no one has ever heard of! Well, that is not exactly true. Prince George is famous for many things, not the least of which is hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
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Greetings! Welcome to Prince George!

It is the greatest city that no one has ever heard of!

Well, that is not exactly true. Prince George is famous for many things, not the least of which is hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games.

Unfortunately, with the changing climate, it seems like these might just become the Canada Summer Games! But it was 27 C during the Winter Olympics in Calgary, so who are we to complain?

In any case, the next couple of weeks should put Prince George firmly on the map. People in Ontario might finally look us up on Google Earth. We might - just might - replace William and Kate's Prince George as the number one search item on google.

Probably not. After all, the royal prince is one cute kid while all we are is just one of the best places to live in British Columbia which is one of the best places to live in the world!

All of this might sound a little like "boosterism". After all, it's not like we are Vancouver or Kelowna or Kamloops. You know, those "really great places to live" to the south.

But I have never understood why we don't blow our horn a little more. Prince George is a pretty great place.

This town has many, many things going for it. Yes, downtown can stink every now and then but the great outdoors is also just moments away. Hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, cross country skiing opportunities abound. We are surrounded by incredible forests and stunning landscapes.

We have parks scattered through the city, some of which would be the envy of larger municipalities. We have wildlife as our neighbours. Who hasn't seen a moose up close?

We have amenities suitable for a much larger city. Consider the Two Rivers Art Gallery as an example. This is a first class facility that played host to paintings by the Group of Seven. It features the wares of local artisans. It has exhibits that engage and entice.

It is also home to a growing collection of "makers" - people dedicated to creating things a wide variety of things, from sculptures to animatronics to jewelry boxes to 3-D printed objects. It is a beehive of creative and critical thinking right in the heart of downtown.

Or consider my own place of work, UNBC. This is one of the best small Universities in the country. It was #2 in Maclean's rankings this past year but it has been in the top three for almost a decade. It is a University that punches well above its weight on many different levels.

The University produces some pretty amazing graduates who go on to good paying jobs in the region and beyond. UNBC Alumni include Members of Parliament, members of the Provincial Legislature, and City Counsellors throughout the north. They are also artists and actors, doctors and engineers. But they are also city planners, bankers, and the guy running the business next door. Our alumni are everywhere.

And almost a third of the students that have enrolled in the Northern Medical Program have come from UNBC. For a young institution, it has certainly made its mark.

But this is not to forget the other post-secondary institution in the city, the College of New Caledonia. It features a wide variety of courses including the essential trades programming that will drive the development of the northern economy over the next couple of decades. And yet it is also home to a superior culinary arts program.

Or there is Exploration Place. Arguably "Science World North", it is home to an adventure in understanding for kids and adults of all ages. Exhibits, such as "Ice Age Mammals", are evidence of the Exploration Place's credentials as a national class museum and science centre. It also features programming that has been engaging young minds in learning about the world for more than two decades.

Prince George is home to just about every type of sporting activity that one can imagine. Basketball? The courts at UNBC, CNC, and the high schools facilitate anyone taking up the game. Soccer? We have fields and fields available all summer long. We even have soccer fields available in the winter.

Hockey? This is where we shine. The Prince George Cougars and the Spruce Kings both call Prince George home. And if playing is more your style, there is plenty of ice. All you need is a garden hose and you can usually make your own rink.

Prince George is a pretty great city. It is a pleasure to share it all with the nation for the next two weeks.

I asked a friend the other day why we didn't talk more about how great this city is. His response was: "Because then everyone else would want to move here."