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Weekend Edition
FRIDAY September 6, 2013 The Central Okanagan’s Best-Read Newspaper www.kelownacapnews.com
Setting fire to history
Wade Paterson STAFF REPORTER
I
n the late 1920s, some of Westbank’s approximately 250 registered voters decided the community was in need of a central meeting place to host various public events. The idea was popular and a fundraising dance held in Kelowna collected $1,360 in donations, surpassing organizers’ $1,000 goal. Community members worked together in 1929 and 1930 to construct the building before an official grand
opening took place April 30, 1930. The hall, which fronted Main Street at the time, was run by the Community Club and was well used by citizens for a wide range of events in the years that followed. But it began to show its age in the 1970s and was in desperate need of renovations. After debating whether or not to completely knock the building down, the Westbank Lions Club realized the building had been sturdily built; therefore, they decided to remodel the facility rather than completely start from scratch. In 1980 they jacked up the hall, moved it back
about 100 feet to its current location to allow for parking and began renovations, which were completed in 1982. For 83 years the building has seen laughter at dances, smiles at weddings and tears at funerals. So it was understandable to see members of the public showing their emotions Sunday morning as flames threatened their community’s meeting place. And for most, those emotions only grew as the week went on and investigators revealed that the fire was started on purpose. See story page A3
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