Heritage trees an irreplaceable part of history
Heritage Week is nationally celebrated the third week of February each year. It is a weeklong series of events designed to raise awareness and appreciation of our local heritage.
Heritage Week 2018 takes place from Feb. 19 to 25 and the national and provincial theme is “Heritage Stands the Test of Time.”
Heritage Week 2018 will be celebrated throughout the Central Okanagan with heritage displays, museum exhibits, community activities and public presentations. Join us at the kick-off breakfast on Feb. 19 to find out more about the events and ways to celebrate our local heritage.
Throughout the Central Okanagan there are numerous sites that we consider to be “heritage places”. This may be a building, a park or a cultural landscape and includes the intangible cultural heritage and personal histories that make our heritage places so important.
Heritage trees are an irreplaceable piece of our history and play a vital role in our city and urban environment. They are typically categorized by their age, rarity and size as well as the aesthetic, ecological or historic values we bestow upon them.
Quite often, without even being identified, heritage trees maintain a “wow” factor. Each twisted branch or tree ring marks the passing of time, spanning longer than our lifetimes. In their natural form, they have a unique beauty and are often found in parks and cemeteries but also in historic areas of town. The City of Kelowna has a rich history of heritage and if our trees could talk, imagine the wisdom they could share.
To find out more about our heritage trees, please join us Thursday, February 22 for a lecture by City of Kelowna park services manager Blair Stewart: Kelowna’s Heritage Trees and the 1992 Heritage Tree Register.
It will be held at the downtown Kelowna Library, 1380 Ellis Street, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Entrance is by donation. This informative Heritage Week event is hosted by the Kelowna South-Central Neighbourhood Association.
During his time with the City, Blair has helped develop the Urban Forest Strategy and continues to work with staff and developers to protect trees throughout the City of Kelowna.
Our heritage places and the people involved with their conservation and stewardship are recognized each year by the COHS. 2018 marks the 34th year that the COHS will be presenting the Annual Heritage Awards during Heritage Week. Heritage Award categories include heritage conservation projects, compatible new construction and recognizing those who have played a significant volunteer role in the field of heritage.
This year’s Heritage Awards will be held Wednesday, February 21, from noon to 2 p.m. at Benvoulin Church and Reid Hall. Tickets for this event are $25. To reserve a ticket or for more information, please contact the COHS at 250-861-7188 or email cohs@telus.net.
This article is part of a series, submitted by the Kelowna Branch, Okanagan Historical Society. Additional information would be welcome at P.O. Box 22105, Capri P.O., Kelowna, B.C., V1Y 9N9