Community support continues to grow for preserving an Okanagan Landing historic site.
A wine tasting and art sale generated $3,000 Saturday for restoration of the 1892 CPR station house in Paddlewheel Park. With an already raised $11,000, the flooring and plumbing can be completed for the Greater Vernon Museum satellite branch.
“It gives the museum time to design their space over the winter. We want it to open in the summer,” said Val Heuman, project manager for the Okanagan Landing Community Association.
A total of $48,000 is required to wrap up the entire restoration project.
“We still need help to complete the outside of the building and put in sidewalks,” said Heuman.
As part of the campaign, the $1,000 Club has been created and it’s hoped businesses, service clubs and residents will donate $1,000 to the cause.
“It doesn’t have to be one business or one family,” said Heuman.
“One neighbourhood got 10 people together and they put in $100 each. It makes it accessible for people to get involved.”
Saturday’s event featured Volcanic Hills Estate Winery, Arrowleaf Cellars, Edge of the Earth Vineyards and mead from Planet Bee. Limited edition art prints represented six B.C. artists.
A slide show also featured historical photos from Okanagan Landing and the Paddlewheel Park property.
“People knew the place had history but they didn’t realize how rich it was,” said Heuman.
More than a century ago, Okanagan Landing was a transportation hub as the rail line ended there and people used paddlewheelers on Okanagan Lake to access the valley to the south.
The paddlwheelers were also key to shipping fruit to the outside world.
For more information on the station house or to donate to the $1,000 Club, call Heuman at 250-308-4830 or e-mail heuman@shaw.ca.
