A new Community Venue for Okanagan Falls.
Grants will help to complete the long-awaited Band Shell in Okanagan Falls.
Once again, the Community Foundation has proved their Motto, “Building Smart & Caring Communities through the Community Foundation.” The Women’s Institute, who have been making improvements to the community of Okanagan Falls for the last 94 years, has just received a $10,000.00 grant from the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan /Similkameen to assist with completion of the long awaited Band Shell in Centennial Park. For four years, the Band Shell committee has been working to collect the funding needed for the project. Vancouver Foundation and Province of British Columbia have also assisted with funding.
This is the most recent accomplishment of the Women’s Institute. In the past, they have worked to provide a branch of the South Okanagan Library and supported the building of the community meeting room at the school complete with an industrial kitchen. The Park, where the Band Shell is located, was once owned by the Women’s Institute and given to the town in 1967 as their Centennial Project. In the early 1980’s, the Women’s Institute purchased the Bassett House and had it relocated to the Heritage Place thus creating the Heritage and Museum Society. Many of the current members are daughters of the founding members of the organization.
In 1997, a bequest from Isabel Hester provided funding for the footings, foundation and floor for the Band Shell . That important work being completed, the Band Shell Committee was formed in 2010 to provide the funding required to complete the project. The total cost of the project was estimated at $80,000.00. The community of 2500 people has been in full support of the project providing half the moneys needed to complete the building. Residents purchased a board for $20.00 each. The board purchaser became a “Board Member” of the project. Other contests, benefits and business, service clubs and private donations made up the amount needed.
The contractors have been collecting materials, and the building will be in full swing in February.