Old Glenn Avenue School

This building has highly significant value in the community for being Kelowna's first brick school, for its architectural character, and for representing a progressive addition to a growing community during Kelowna's period of early development. Over the years it has accommodated all grades of the school system, and still continues with an important role for the youth of the community.

The rapid growth of Kelowna in the second half of the first decade of the twentieth century meant that the public school built in 1904 (now the Brigadier Angle Armoury at 720 Lawrence Avenue) quickly became overcrowded. This new two-storey, six-classroom building, constructed in 1910 by H.W. Raymer, was the first brick school in Kelowna. The City's single high school class (started in 1907), now with 21 pupils, moved into the building immediately, along with the overflow of the elementary classes. Elizabeth McNaughton, initially taught all subjects in the three-year high school program; she was aided by a second teacher in 1912.

The impressively substantial building represents a simplified version of the 'Jacobethan' Revival style (the name combines 'Jacobean' and 'Elizabethan' - both Tudor-era styles) that was seen in many schools across Canada, the main historical features being the steep gables and (sparse) crenellated parapets. The simplification of form would seem to indicate the scarce financial resources that have always plagued school construction. It is interesting to note that on the 1914 Fire Insurance Map two separate outhouse buildings, one for each sex, are shown in the field behind the school.

The design has not received universal applause for its appearance. A.R. Lord, school principal from 1910 to 1914, recalled it as 'externally, an architectural monstrosity,' and local historian Ursula Surtees commented that 'for sheer unattractiveness this new seat of learning would be hard to beat.'

The lower grades moved from here to Central School (1825 Richter Street) when that building opened in 1914. The Glenn Avenue School was left to the upper grades, becoming Kelowna High School. In 1925 the High School was staffed by three academic teachers and one agriculture teacher. It lost grades seven through nine in 1929, when the Junior High School was built (at the Kelowna Secondary School site, 575-599 Harvey Avenue). In 1939 the Senior High School was built as an addition to the Junior High School, and grades ten to thirteen shifted there.

From 1939 this building was used by elementary classes, and was called the Junior Elementary School. When other elementary schools were built, its name was changed to Glenn Avenue Elementary, thus preserves the name of Glenn Avenue, which until about 1960 was the name of that portion of Lawrence Avenue on which it fronts. A gymnasium was added in 1977. It ceased to be a public school in the following decade.

The building continues to have value to the community for serving youth. In the 1980s it became the Downtown Youth Centre of the Kelowna and District Boys and Girls Club, a use that continues to this day.