Distinctive Destinations theme for this year’s Heritage Week in South Okanagan

PENTICTON – Heritage Week is alive and well in the South Okanagan with several organizations promoting awareness of the community’s historical connections this week.

Okanagan Historical Society, Penticton Branch President Karen Collins says the society’s heritage display at Cherry Lane Mall has been well attended, expressing thanks to Cherry Lane Mall administration for allowing the group use of a vacant store, rather than setting up in the middle of the mall.

The display runs the full length of Heritage Week until Feb. 21.

Collins says the extra room has allowed the society to put together an interesting collection of artifacts, in addition to providing space for several heritage organizations to promote themselves. 

“We’ve got handouts for self-guided historical tours of the city and a gallery of old photographs on display,” Collins says.

The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen is also promoting Heritage Week on its website.

The District is highlighting a different heritage site the public can visit each day this week, building on Heritage B.C.’s theme this year of Distinctive Destinations.

“These are places that still exist, that people can visit. The sites are repurposed to make them as relevant today as they were in the past,” Regional District rural projects coordinator Lindsay Bourque.

On Saturday, Feb. 20 the Summerland Heritage Commission is coordinating a talk with Kettle Valley Railway historian Joe Smuin at the Summerland Library basement. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. and the talk begins at 2 p.m.

The Osoyoos Museum is also recognizing Heritage Week with free admission all week.

The regional district board endorsed the Heritage Plan in November last year. Bourque has since presented it to every municipality in the district since then, finishing with Princeton in January, 2016.

The Regional District board has created a Heritage Plan which it hopes to adopt this year.

“The real goal is to promote heritage based on what local communities are doing,” Bourque says.

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