Every East Kootenay town had its special day of celebration and Kimberley's was July 1st. The first Dominion Day celebration was held in 1910 on Spokane Street, with races and contests for all ages as well as horse racing and hose reel races. A poster advertising Dominion Day Celebrations in Kimberley July 1st, 1913. The prizes were $3.00 first, $2.00 second and $1.00 third, for standing long jump, running long jump, running high jump, pole vault, Married Ladies' race, Single Ladies' race, Ladies' egg and spoon race, Fat man's race, Sack race and races for boys and girls. The prize for the Sawing contest was $10.00, Chopping contest $5.00, and Shovelling contest $5.00. The winner of the baseball match between Wycliffe and Kimberley, $50.00. Dance at the "Miners" Hall - Free. These celebrations continued until the early 1940's then died a sudden death as fewer and fewer people were willing to assume the responsibilities for the necessary organization.
The same "let John do it" attitude brought an end to Snow Fiesta, Kimberley's winter festival instigated by Mayor Swan and continued for sixteen years. The Caledonian Society died and took with it into oblivion Kimberley's Highland Games. So too died the annual Fall Fair.
In the 1920's, Kimberley was an unorganized community with dirt roads, few sidewalks, overrunning septic tanks, and houses built on Mark Creek were using the creek as a garbage dump. The Company owned the water and electrical systems, also the houses on McDougall Townsite. Their fire department served the community.
The Board of Trade was the only organization trying to do something about the situation. They approached the Provincial Government to do more for the community, but they were advised to start thinking incorporation. Preliminary attempts to form a local government were slowed because of lack of interest by the residents of Company houses, who enjoyed their low preferential rents.
In 1943 the Board of Trade initiated a meeting of area representatives to take action. They were shortly joined by Olaf Linguist and Frank Shannon, president and secretary of the Lower Blarchmont Ratepayers Association. It was unanimously agreed that Kimberley must be incorporated.
S. G. Blaylock, General Manager of the Company, favoured incorporation and offered to sell houses on McDougall Townsite to the tenants at a very reasonable price. He also assured the incorporation committee that the Company was prepared to carry on with the water and electrical systems when the first City Council was elected. Fire protection would be continued until the City was established.
On March 29th, 1944, by special Act of Parliament, the City of Kimberley came into being, and when election day came around on April 20th, 1944, a total of four candidates were running for the office of Mayor and 18 for Aldermen.
Cliff Swan was elected Mayor with Wallace Lloyd, Stan Norton, Frank Levirs, Murray Garden, Bruno Fabro and Len Bone11 as Aldermen. The first Council meetings were held in a vacant store on Deer Park Ave. By the end of the year the City had passed health, plumbing, sanitation and building bylaws and made arrangements for the Company to continue their fire protection and street lighting on a temporary basis. Householders were charged 25 cents a month for garbage collection.
