St. Aidan’s Church declared a heritage building
Kelowna’s newest official heritage building is a church that dates back to 1933.
City council is expected today to apply a municipal heritage designation to St. Aidan’s Church, at the corner of Rutland Road and Mugford Road.
“St. Aidan’s Anglican Church is valued as a symbol of the importance of the Anglican Church to the early community of Rutland,” reads part of a city staff report to council.
“It also reflects the importance of local churches to rural settlements, and the central role they played in community life,” the report states.
The church, which replaced an informal worship space in a community hall, has some unique features despite its modest size, city staff say.
These are said to include a covered gateway, a Norman-style arch, and a steeply-pitched roof characteristic of the British Arts and Crafts architectural style.
Long vacant and falling into considerable disrepair, the church had been owned by the city for many years. The city has sold the church to a Buddhist group for renovation, expansion, and use as a cultural centre.
Although the city has dozens of properties on a heritage registry, homes and other buildings on the list are not afforded any special protection.
However, once a property is formally designated as a heritage building, as the old church now will be, its owner must get a heritage alteration permit to make any significant changes.
“All restoration work (on the church) will respect the character-defining elements as set out in the Heritage Register,” the staff report to council states. “This process and project will maintain the building and site as a key heritage asset.”