GLENMORE SCHOOL, SCOUT HALL IN PRINT
History calendar coming soon
The 2021 calendar produced by the Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society will soon be available for purchase.
This is the third calendar produced by the Kelowna Branch, highlighting our local history through a variety of photographic images – from private collections and the Kelowna Public Archives (KPA) – and accompanying text.
This year’s calendar was produced under the capable leadership and guidance of Chris Jennens and Herb Tanaka, with committee members Cathy Jennens, Margot Pridham, Sharron Simpson, and Bob Hayes; the latter two produced most of the calendar’s text, including the captions and the history of local fire firefighting.
The firefighting history is a reference to the calendar’s attractive cover, featuring a full-colour photograph of Kelowna’s historic downtown fire hall. This beautiful image was taken by Herb Tanaka in 2020, and contrasts with two earlier fire hall images on the calendar’s first page – December 2020.
Special thanks are extended to Tara Hurley, Kelowna’s dedicated Community Archivist. Tara graciously assisted the calendar committee in selecting images for the 2021 calendar, accessing images from the Kelowna Public Archives’ extensive collection, anxious that the calendar accurately reflects the area’s diverse history and architecture.
Some of the images featured in the 2021 calendar include the early Glenmore School, Kelowna’s impressive Scout Hall, Chinatown’s Dart Coon Club, Chapin’s Café, a vintage rural school bus, an aerial shot of Crossroads Supplies General Store at Reid’s Corner, the Palace Hotel (later part of the original Royal Anne Hotel), Kelowna Growers Exchange building, Bernard Avenue’s Jubilee and Avalon apartments as featured on a 1940s calendar, and many more.
Photograph captions are descriptive and informative. The caption accompanying Chapin’s Café reads as follows:
“One of Kelowna’s few cafes, Chapin’s provided “fountain service”, booths and tables, and shared the south side of Bernard Avenue, between Water Street and Okanagan Lake, with the Empress Theatre, and P. Capozzi’s City Grocery. It was run by Harry F. Chapin between 1911 and 1950.”
The image of the Dart Coon Club is accompanied by a brief history of Kelowna’s historic and oft-lamented Chinatown: “The Dart Coon Club was an integral part of Kelowna’s Chinatown. Built in 1919, this two- storey building backed onto the south side of Leon Avenue, the building fronting onto Harvey Avenue. The site of Kelowna’s Chinese community’s social events, it also provided much-needed accommodation in Chinatown. The core of Kelowna’s Chinatown was forever lost to development in the fall of 1972. The Dart Coon Club was sold in 1975 and demolished in 1979. The Prestige Inn occupies some of the Dart Coon Club’s site.”
Each month in 2021 has various holidays and observances clearly marked, with historic trivia and informative tidbits scattered throughout the year, including the date of the 2021 Kelowna Branch annual general meeting (April 10), allowing lots of time for local history aficionados to take note of this important date and purchase their tickets when they become available.
The 2021 calendar’s back cover features more historic photographs, including two of the local Preventorium and an early building in Chinatown.
Information about the Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society, including its many events and projects, is also included on the back cover.
The 2021 Kelowna Branch calendar continues to cost only $20 (no tax). Each calendar comes with its own mailing envelope, allowing it to be conveniently shipped outside of the Central Okanagan.
If you are interested in obtaining a copy of the 2021 Kelowna Branch calendar – or are doing some early Christmas shopping for that “someone special” on your gift list, contact Chris Jennens (250-861-6108) or Bob Hayes (250-763-8859) to reserve your copy/copies. Chris and Bob will be happy to arrange delivery or pick-up, at your convenience.
Your purchase of the 2021 calendar supports the Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Historical Society, allowing it to continue its mandate of researching, recording, and promoting local history and supporting history and heritage causes and initiatives in the Central Okanagan.