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History

For this Vernon family, nearly 200 years of sweet tradition is baked right in

VERNON - Not many people can say they’re carrying on family traditions stretching back to 1825, but Vernon baker Roy Bouman continues to do so with pride. Every perfect cream puff, every birthday cake, and each smiling customer pays homage to the long line of family bakers who passed down recipes, strong work ethic and...

This is what Penticton used to look like

PENTICTON - Driving through the streets of Penticton, you may not realize how many businesses or homes have been sitting on the same soil for over a hundred years. It is easy to take the beauty of our city for granted but every once in a while it is nice to stop and take a...

History of the Okanagan Commonage Reserve

VERNON - With the impending sale of the discontinued rail corridor between Vernon and Kelowna, the Okanagan Indian band has revived a historic land claim on a large tract of land known as the Commonage Reserve. Formed in 1877 by the Joint Indian Reserve Commission (established by the governments of Canada and B.C. to create...

Corduroy, double knits and extreme weather: What Christmas was like 50 years ago

KAMLOOPS – Fifty years ago in Kamloops the gifts, clothes and news were different, but the holiday spirit was just as strong as today’s. In a look back at the Kamloops Daily Sentinel from December, 1964 the hot ticket items to gift for kids were dolls for girls and trucks or model kits for boys....

New curator to oversee Penticton’s history

PENTICTON - The City has named Dennis Oomen as the new curator for the Penticton Museum and Archives after losing former curator Peter Ord to the Royal B.C. Museum. Oomen has worked all over Canada at prestigious museums including the Federal Canadian Museum of Civilization in Hull, Que., The Museum of Nature, the National Aviation...

Facebook page offers a window into Vernon’s past

VERNON - History fanatic Deena Lehoux admits one of her reasons for creating a Facebook page all about old photos of Vernon was a selfish one. “I wanted to see what everybody else had,” she says. “I’ve always been fascinated with the history of Vernon. I can’t drive downtown without trying to envision the way...

Dip your paddle in the water this weekend at Steamfest Regatta

PENTICTON - Experience a bit of Penticton history at the Steamfest Regatta this weekend on Okanagan Lake. The Regatta races were held on Okanagan Lake a hundred years ago, and the tradition stays alive today with the community-building event. The Penticton Museum has worked to restore four war canoes it received in 2010, and hopes...

Grab your cameras and binoculars; Marina Way Lookout is open

PENTICTON - The Marina Way Lookout officially opens Thursday evening, revealing the newest view of Okanagan Lake with a celebration and historical tour.  The reconstruction project was part of the city’s waterfront enhancement strategy. The vision was to transform the abandoned peninsula — formally used as a Canadian National Railway loading dock — into a...

Loss of rail is loss of history

VERNON - It once brought growth to the region, but now the railway linking Vernon with Kelowna is being erased one rail tie at a time. Since the last spike was laid in 1925, the nearly 50-kilometer stretch of track has carried many passengers and untold quantities of freight. But its glory days are long...

Riders: Get ready for a new bike race

OKANAGAN - There is a new bike race coming to the Okanagan that offers riders a challenging and scenic course through the Okanagan Valley. Following the Kettle Valley Railway Trail, the Kettle Mettle dirt road fond ride will start in Penticton, at one of Lake Okanagan, and end on the other side in Kelowna. Riders...

Local historians say latest heritage plan will fail, again

PENTICTON - Local historians say the latest heritage plan organized by the RDOS is not going to succeed because similar plans have always failed in the past. A report will be made by contractors hired by the RDOS listing all the possible heritage sites in the district and how they can be restored and turned...

RDOS hosts open house for new heritage plans

PENTICTON — Local government is turning to the community for input on new, more interactive heritage planning projects. The Heritage Planning Session is the first round of public engagement where community members can give input on what aspects of the region they value, such as landscapes, events, rituals or spiritual places. Organizers are trying to...

Unwelcome merger gets axed

KAMLOOPS — It began as a way to fix quorum issues but if the majority of the volunteers on a committee don’t want to merge with another committee what do you do? According to city council, the right thing. Andrew Yarmie stood up on behalf of the Heritage Commission, which voted six to one in...