It’s hard not to get excited when Mary Forbes and city councillor Laurie Walters are talking heritage.
Not only do the two members of the newly-formed Heritage Advisory Committee like to dress for the part, they are also pretty entertaining.
At a press conference hosted in the lobby of city hall, Forbes and Walters talked about the upcoming heritage week activities planned for Feb. 20-26.
“There are many tours available for people to be a tourist in their own town to step back in time,” Forbes said.
Partnering with the Cariboo Regional District Heritage Steering Committee, the HAC is presenting an evening with Xat’sull Chief Bev Sellars at Thompson Rivers University, Williams Lake Campus in the Gathering Place.
“She’ll talk about First Nations history and contributions to Canadian society on Wednesday Feb. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m.” Forbes said. The committee approached 25 heritage buildings in the community to consider being on a heritage tour and several businesses have stepped up to the plate to offer tours of their venues.
“What’s really exciting is that we have so much history and culture and it will be the first time showcasing these buildings in a tour,” Walters said.
In creating the tour, the committee has learned there are many additional buildings that haven’t been included, but may want to jump on board next time around.
“We’ve got lots of them hiding around town,” Forbes said, adding that each building has a unique attraction.
During a visit to the New World Coffee and Tea House, the owner will explain the renovations from the past to the present, while visitors sip on a free cup of coffee.
Over at Woodland Jewellers, Forbes explained, staff will clean people’s rings and share family anecdotes and experiences of the 1933 vintage building.
“Bobby at Laketown (Furnishings) will talk about how the Sunner family bought the original family building in 1971 and what it was like when the police constable lived on site and all the different federal agencies involved,” Forbes added.
Forbes will host the tour at the Potato House, suggesting people arrive wearing snow suits because the building isn’t heated. “It’s cold, but it’s interesting, and beautiful pictures can be taken of the icicles forming on the inside.”
Mark Denny at Cariboo Saddlery will talk about his family history of doing saddlery in the city since the 1950s when his father worked at Tony’s Leather Goods before it burned down.
“You can step into Mark’s shop and smell the history, in a good way, because all the leather will be on site,” Forbes said.
Cariboo Arts and Culture Centre’s executive director Leah Selk and fire chief Randy Isfeld will be partnering to give a tour of the arts centre, touching on its history as the fire hall and modern incarnation as the arts centre.
To see the secrets and hear the history is the theme of the week and both Forbes and Walters say building owners will be showing the public things that most people haven’t had the opportunity to see.
“I’m personally excited about the Delainey’s Centre Mall showing people the original 1930s upstairs apartment with vintage wall paper and inlaid fir floors, which people don’t know exists,” Forbes said, adding there’s lots going on.
Tours will be available at Potato House (Wednesday, 3 to 5 p.m.), Cariboo Arts and Culture Centre (Thursday, 7 to 9 p.m.), Station House Gallery (Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 2 p.m.), Woodland Jewellers (Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — tours by request), Delainey’s Centre (Monday, Friday, and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m — tours by request), Laketown Furnishings (Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m to 6 p.m. — tours by request), Cariboo Saddle Shop (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. — tours by request), and New World Coffee and Tea House (Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. — tours by request).
Forbes describes the tour guides as engaging and fun and guarantees the tours will be a lot of fun.
For more information, contact Chris Hutton at 250-392-1770 or visit the Heritage Advisory Committee Facebook page.
