Long forgotten time capsule to be opened this spring

KELOWNA – A time capsule discovered in a cornerstone of the recently torn down St. Paul’s United Church will be opened for the first time in almost 60 years March 24.

The 58-year-old church on Lakeshore was torn down late last year to make room for a $20 million Arts and Worship Centre. During the demolition, masonry workers found a small box inside one of the cornerstones members and staff didn’t know was there.

Sue Goodwin, a spokesperson for the church, said in November last year they believe the capsule, which resembles a book that is welded shut, was likely placed in the footing when the church was built in 1957.

"The cornerstone was actually designed for the box,” she said. “It had been beveled to hold what we later found out was a time capsule.”

The church has since contacted the Kelowna museum for suggestions how to open the capsule and were told the best method is to use a small saw.

St. Paul’s office administrator Shawna Banman says they plan to cut away the welded parts but won’t look inside until the official ceremony March 24.

“We’re going to wait for the weather to improve a bit,” she says. “We want people to be able to gather outside and right now there’s just too much snow.”

Banman says they will be inviting Mayor Colin Basran and any councillors who want to attend. There will also be members of the church present who were there when it was built.

“We’re trying to track down people who were in the Sunday school class at the time because they’re the only ones who will still be alive,” she says. “We have a couple people that we know for sure were there when the capsule was put in there, although they forgot about it until it was taken out.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.