Annette Beaudreau Amphitheatre dedication
Last Friday night’s opening concert of the sixth year of Music in the Park was the perfect setting for the dedication of the Annette Beaudreau Amphitheatre in West Kelowna’s Memorial Park.
The park was Àlled with more than 600 people enjoying a free outdoor concert on a warm summer evening with the sounds of families laughing and playing wafting over the Àeld.
Beaudreau was the manager of recreation and culture for the City of West Kelowna. Her contributions to the community include creating Music in the Park and leading the National Communities in Bloom winning entry in 2015. She died in October 2016 after a lengthy battle against cancer.
“She would have loved it,” said Kevin Bourchier, recreation supervisor with the City of West Kelowna. “This kind of community gathering where friends get together and socialize, enjoy music and while they’re doing it children are playing on the Àeld and families are playing together is exactly what she wanted.”
Shortly after Beaudreau died in October 2016, West Kelowna council asked staff to investigate options to commemorate Beaudreau’s contributions to West Kelowna. Council unanimously agreed to name the amphitheatre after Beaudreau.
“I know it was a goal of hers to create a venue in this location that could host one of her greatest achievements, creating our Music in the Park concert series,” said Mayor Doug Findlater, speaking to the crowd before unveiling the memorial signage for the amphitheatre.
Not only did Beaudreau work hard for the city, she was also a tireless volunteer.
“Annette is in my mind true example of selÁess dedication to improving our community,” said Findlater. “She is always in our hearts and is now permanently part of the West Kelowna community.”
There were hugs and a few tears as Beaudreau’s widower Brad and Findlater pulled back the cloth to reveal a memorial signage for the amphitheatre. A contingent of Beaudreau’s friends and family were on hand for the dedication including her parents from Three Fathom Harbour, N.S., as well family from Dartmouth, Calgary, Edmonton and West Kelowna.
Piano man James Elser, the headline act for the concert, led the singing of Farwell to Nova Scotia, one of Beaudreau’s favourite songs.
Music in the Park is one of West Kelowna’s most popular annual events and crowds continue to grow year after year.
Jason Davis was dancing to the piano music of Elser with his daughter Arielle, 3. The family comes to Music in the Park almost every week. Davis said his kids love it and he enjoys making a connection with his family and watching his children dance and have fun.
Ryan Donn, now a Kelowna city councillor, had worked with Beaudreau as the creative director of Creative Okanagan to start Music in the Park in 2012, said Beaudreau’s legacy will continue to grow.
“Her vision is still about to play out,” he said. “I think we’ll start seeing stuff that happened because of Music in the Park spilling into West Kelowna.”
Music in the Park is a series of free concerts that take place every Friday night in the Annette Beaudreau Amphitheatre in Memorial Park until Aug. 25, offering everything from country to jazz to pop. West Kelowna Recreation staff will be on hand hosting games and activities for the kids.