Some of our image-laden pages may load more slowly depending on your internet service. Patience if they don't display immediately. You'll be glad you waited.

South Okanagan Photos

New shakes for old building

Present condition - Museum in BC Police Detachment
Present condition – Museum in BC Police Detachment

The Oliver and District Heritage Society will be receiving a boost of $10,000 through the Heritage Legacy Fund, supporting efforts to completely restore the aging roof of the Museum, formerly Oliver’s BC Provincial Police station. This funding, made possible through the Heritage Legacy Fund and overseen by Heritage BC, provides grants for heritage conservation and heritage awareness projects throughout British Columbia.

This grant represents a portion of the total project cost, with the remainder being provided by a planned-giving bequest by the late Carolyn Cope, long-time Oliver resident and generous supporter of the Oliver and District Heritage Society over her lifetime. Operational and in-kind support is also provided by the RDOS and the Town of Oliver.

The roof was originally cedar shakes when it was first constructed in the early 1920s, when it was known as the “Oliver Lockup”. This building housed not only the lock-up portion of the police station on the first floor, but was also the residence for the officers working at the BCPP station and their families. Now this heritage building houses the Oliver and District Heritage Society Museum. The roof will be restored using the same materials and style as the original construction to preserve the historic character of the building.

“The roof was clearly in need of restoration, with the old cedar shakes in pretty rough shape. Part of our collection is stored in the upper floor of the Museum, so getting this properly restored before it threatened the collection was a high priority. With this project, we’ll be preserving not just the building itself but also the artifacts housed within it” says Executive Director Manda Maggs. “We are very grateful to Heritage BC for recognizing the importance of this project, preserving this building for the future generations of Oliver. It’s a beautiful building with a rich history. We are so glad it is getting the preservation it deserves.”

“We will be likely be closing the Museum to visitors while the roof is being removed, which is expected to begin the first week of October and last 2-3 weeks. Depending on how the work and weather goes, we should be able to welcome visitors again toward the end of October.”