Heritage
Kelowna’s heritage is a history tied to the land, natural environment and the people who have long understood the richness of this area. Kelowna's heritage is reflected in the buildings, neighbourhoods and landscapes from these earlier eras. These are the homes, work spaces, and community gathering places created by the people who shaped and developed the city of Kelowna.
We value, respect and celebrate- built, cultural and natural heritage as a major contributor to our community's identity, character and sense of place.
Our 2007 Heritage Strategy assesses the current situation, renews the community's vision for heritage and sets an action plan to identify, maintain and protect the community's heritage resources. The Official Community Plan and Development Application and Heritage Procedures Bylaw No. 12310 set out our heritage management policies and regulations for development.
Restoring, rehabilitating and maintaining heritage buildings can be costly, and sometimes cost prohibitive. Our heritage building tax incentive program encourages the restoration of agricultural, commercial, industrial and institutional buildings listed on the Kelowna Heritage Register by providing tax breaks for restored revenue generating heritage buildings. Full program details are available in Council Policy No. 318.
Kelowna heritage societies
- The Central Okanagan Heritage Society (COHS)
- The Okanagan Historical Society (OHS)
- The Kelowna Museums Society (KMS)
Expanding Kelowna’s oral history
Do you know of a Kelowna resident whose oral history should be collected? The City of Kelowna and the Kelowna Museums Society are interested in expanding their current collection of Kelowna oral history. Contact Tara Hurley, Archivist, to add a name to the list: 250-763-2417 ext. 25; [email protected].
Heritage Grants Program
The Heritage Grants Program, administered by the Central Okanagan Heritage Society, is designed to promote conservation of residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural heritage buildings by assisting owners with grants for a portion of the costs incurred in conservation work. Eligible work may include reroofing, window and door conservation, siding and porch conservation, work on foundation and repainting.
Any owner with a property listed on the Kelowna Heritage Register is eligible to apply for this program. Interested applicants should visit the Central Okanagan Heritage Society's website for more information.
Immerse yourself in Kelowna's heritage by taking our self-guided heritage driving tour or the historic Bernard-Lawrence neighbourhood walking tour.
Sit back and enjoy Kelowna's expansive heritage resources with our self-guided heritage driving tour.
The route includes 19 stops through Kelowna's agricultural, commercial, industrial and cultural heritage sites as well as historic residential neighbourhoods, such as the Abbott Street and Marshall Street conservation areas.
Download the tour brochure or pick up a copy at various heritage sites, Kelowna Museums, Tourism Kelowna, the Downtown Kelowna Association and kiosks in the downtown and cultural districts.
Funds for printing the tour brochures was generously provided by the Heritage Legacy Fund.
In the Bernard-Lawrence neighbourhood, just east of downtown, there remains a concentrated inventory of heritage buildings in a variety of architectural styles favoured over the past 100 years.
The historic Bernard-Lawrence neighbourhood walking tour includes 32 buildings, 29 of which are recognized in the Kelowna Heritage Register as having significant historic value to the community.
The neighbourhood walking tour brochure was thoughtfully designed and printed by the Kelowna South-Central Association of Neighbourhoods. The walking tour is available for pick up at City Hall, Kelowna Museums, the Father Pandosy Site and Tourism Kelowna.
