Tiny Rutland church a historical gem

KELOWNA – Call it the little church that could.

St. Aidans Anglican Church on Rutland Road will go to a public hearing on whether to give it a formal heritage designation.

The tiny church opened in 1933 at the corner of Rutland Road North and Mugford Road and was an important part of early Rutland.

Built by volunteer labour on land donated by Ben Hardie, the original church was designed by Enoch Mugford, superintendent of the Black Mountain Irrigation District and local developer Hector Maranda.

It has sat empty since it was deconsecrated in 1990.

However the Okanagan Buddhist Cultural Centre in 2016 proposed restoring the church and moving it to the center of a consolidated lot as part of an adaptive reuse.

The society plans to turn the small church into a cultural centre, part of a larger complex that includes a new church hall.

Should the heritage designation be approved by Kelowna council, it will give the church some protection, requiring a heritage alteration permit for anyone who wants to change the building exterior.

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