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Back row: Nelson Heritage Working group chair Berdine Jonker, Izu-Shi Friendship Society member Will Taylor. Front row: society members Grace Nanako and Jim Sawada, mayor Janice Morrison, and society member Bernie Zimmer.
The City of Nelson and its Heritage Working Group have presented present the Nelson Izu-Shi Friendship Society with the 2024 Heritage Award and a $1,000 honorarium for its Cottonwood Park signage project.
A non-profit volunteer group that supports the sister city relationship that has existed between Nelson and Izu-shi, Japan since 1987, the Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society holds seasonal cultural events and workshops to introduce Japanese Canadian culture, arranges multigenerational exchange visits and stewards the Friendship Garden in Cottonwood Falls Park.
As part of their park caretaker role, the Society undertook a huge initiative to develop display signage telling the stories of Cottonwood Creek. Over a five-year span, it has worked closely with researchers, Indigenous leaders, local historians, Nelson families, and the Museum and Archives to research and develop this project, publicly launched in October of this year.
Ten signs in black steel frames and protected by tempered glass take us through the fascinating stories of the wildlife, the people and their histories, and the environment of Cottonwood Creek.
“The Nelson Izu-shi Friendship Society is surprised and very pleased by this unexpected honour,” says president John Armstrong. “We really appreciate the recognition of our work and the contributions of others over the past five years. We hope the signs will inspire greater interest in the little-known parts of Nelson’s history and lead to a new awareness of the value of Cottonwood Creek and the potential for its restoration as it flows through our community.”
"The dedication and commitment of the Nelson Izu-Shi Friendship Society's members and volunteers to undertaking the Cottonwood Signage Project has been impressive,” said Berdine Jonker, chair of the Heritage Working Group. “The extensive knowledge imparted, the attention to historical accuracy and the engaging design of the signage makes the Nelson Society the ideal recipient for the 2024 Heritage Award.”
The city’s Heritage Working Group established this award in 2015 to recognize individuals, groups, businesses, or other organizations that have made an outstanding contribution towards the preservation and/or promotion of Nelson's heritage. Previous winners are the Hume Hotel, the Nelson Electric Tramway Society, Nelson CARES, the Nelson Museum & Art Gallery, Joern Wingender, Peter Bartl, Greg Scott, the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce and Cartolina.
The Cumberland Museum & Archives announced the launch of their new book, "A Place Called Cumberland" earlier this month.
This beautifully crafted publication celebrates the rich history and vibrant stories of their community. It is the culmination of extensive research and collaboration that reflects the voices and experiences of Cumberland's diverse past and present.
Learn more on the museum's website here. Copies of the book can be purchased directly from them, or online here.
From the Canadian Museums Association:
The CMA, as part of a coalition of Canadian museums, and national and provincial heritage organizations issued a joint statement to the Government of Canada regarding the development of the new National Museums Policy for Canada. As passionate advocates for our country's museums and cultural heritage, we are deeply concerned about the policy vacuum in which Canada’s museums are currently operating.
Our current National Museums Policy dates from 1990, a pre-internet era that could not have anticipated the seismic shifts in technology, climate, and society that we all now face. This outdated framework has led to a critical situation where existing programs, despite their original intent, are no longer fit for their original purpose.
We urgently need a National Museums Policy that:
The time for action is now. We cannot afford to let our museums – these vital custodians of our heritage and significant contributors to our economy – falter due to outdated policies and inadequate support.
Read the joint statement here.
The Oliver & District Heritage Society has had a busy year and is celebrating their accomplishments!
The ODHS updated their Collections Management Policy in 2024 to better reflect the mission, mandate, and vision of the ADHS as well as changing attitudes in the Museum sector. There is a summary version available on their website, but a full version is available upon request.
The ODHS also completed making an interactive video that tells the fascinating story of the historic irrigation canal system that runs through their area. The ODHS worked with professional and local artists, and are very proud of the finished product! You can watch the video here.
You can visit the ODHS website here. Congratulations on a busy year!
The Vancouver Public Library is offering 2 online programs in the new year that may be of interest to BCHF members.
January 23rd: "Chinese Canadian Genealogy Resources"
February 18th: "Family History and Genealogy" (with Library and Archives Canada)
Both programs are free, and are offered virtually so that anyone can attend! Click the links to register today.
An excerpt from the Winter 2024-25 issue of British Columbia History
To Be Seen, To Be Heard exhibit. Photo: Mark Forsythe
The summer reopening of the Museum of Anthropology couldn’t come soon enough for eager patrons. The Arthur Erickson–designed building that graces the UBC campus was closed for 18 months to undergo major seismic upgrades because the concrete pillars underpinning the Great Hall were at risk of tumbling in an earthquake. The closure was also an opportunity to consult with Indigenous communities and reinvigorate interpretation.
To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces 1900–1965 is a new multimedia exhibition that explores how Indigenous people represented themselves in urban public spaces during the dark period of potlatch bans, cultural erasure, and restricted rights. Archival images of Indigenous people attending community parades, protests, tourist venues, and royal visits are projected on large screens while the voices of Indigenous people reflect on their meaning. The pursuit of land rights, their laws, and cultural expression were always propelling Indigenous people to be seen and heard at these public events. Curated by Dr. Marcia Crosby (Ts’msyen/Haida) and Karen Duffek (MOA Curator, Contemporary Visual Arts + Pacific Northwest), the exhibition continues in the Audain Gallery at the Museum of Anthropology until March 31, 2025.
A 1950 fire truck holds centre court in Parksville’s original firehall. Photo: Mark Forsythe
At first glance the Parksville Museum appears to be a modest cluster of cabins tucked inside a copse on the edge of town. Roam the site and you may be surprised by its scope and variety of local storytelling. Eight heritage structures fan out from an inviting courtyard, including the Mosaic Pavilion that explores local logging history and the benefits of more contemporary sustainable forest practices. There’s also a blacksmith forge, an historic Knox Church, E&N Railway displays, a post office, a schoolhouse, a children’s nature trail, and a renovated main exhibit hall bursting with local stories and artifacts.
Like many British Columbia nonprofit heritage sites, the museum is closed during the winter (Mosaic Pavilion and Marion Craig Courtyard are open yearround) but there’s plenty of activity behind the scenes. This includes new interpretation for the town’s original firehall. The museum is gathering stories from former fire department members and fire chiefs. Museum manager/curator Rachel Filko says the history of the firehall represents an important chapter in the community’s history; the fire truck was purchased thanks to fundraising by local women. “We think stories like this—about the people of Parksville and how they helped create our community—are the stories we want to highlight.” Th e exhibit will also highlight fire prevention and safety in response to the growing threat of wildfires.
Visit the Parksville Museum website at https://parksvillemuseum.com.
Newly renovated boat repair space at Britannia Shipyards. Photo: Mark Forsythe
There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly planed wood. This will be in abundance at the newly renovated boat repair shed at Steveston’s Britannia Shipyard. The Richmond Boat Builders’ structure was constructed in 1932 by Japanese Canadian boat builder Saeji Kishi and operated as the Kishi Boatworks Company until the Kishi family was interned in 1942. The structure recently saw major restoration and improvements to the mechanical systems. This newly outfitted shed will be used to restore boats from these traditional skills and techniques in action as work begins on the Crystal S.
The 3.2-hectare historic shipyard includes the 1889 shipyard building (originally built as a cannery), stilt houses, a Chinese bunkhouse, a seine net loft, and the newly restored Murakami House. Take a stroll along Britannia Shipyards’ boardwalks for a powerful connection with BC’s maritime history.
Patrons enjoy the 1952 classic Singin’ in the Rain at the Patricia Theatre. Photo: Grant Lawrence
The Patricia Theatre in the historic Powell River Townsite is looking marvelous after acquiring new seats, carpets, an air conditioning system, a refurbished lobby, touch-ups to the peacock-themed murals, and a new projection screen. The Patricia came to town in 1913 (the existing structure was built in 1928) and is the longest continuously running theatre in Canada. Since 2021 it has been owned by the qathet film society, which successfully generated donations for a new digital projection system and sound system improvements.
CBC host and author Grant Lawrence was in attendance at a summer reopening. “It all looks and sounds really awesome. Single-screen theatres are magical, special places … and the Patricia is one of the best.” The theatre is also forging new relationships with the local Tla’amin Nation, whose members once faced segregation inside the theatre. An Indigenous film festival is now held each fall surrounding the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Visit the qathet international film festival website at https://www.qathetfilm.ca.
New Industrial Heritage Places map. Image: Heritage BC
Canneries, sawmills, and ghost towns speak to British Columbia’s industrial past. A new interactive Industrial Heritage Places Map, created by Heritage BC, pinpoints 76 sites (1860s through the 1950s), providing historical context for each. The sites were sourced from nominations across the province. “Together, the sites help show the impacts of industry, both positive and negative, on changes within a growing province, and show the changing values of the communities they impacted,” says Heritage BC.
Click on Lillooet Tomato Cannery to discover it was operated by Japanese Canadians forced into internment camps during the Second World War. Lillooet offered perfect growing conditions for tomatoes, and their production became the camp’s main industry, creating jobs and family income. An accompanying historical context document called Setting the Scene also explores industry as a colonizing force, with its profound impact on First Nation communities and the associated environmental costs. The map is found on the Heritage BC website, https://heritagebc.ca/cultural-maps/industrial-heritage-places. •
Mark Forsythe travels through BC and back in time, exploring the unique work of British Columbia Historical Federation members.
The winter edition of British Columbia History magazine will be on its way to mailboxes as soon as the postal strike ends and will be available digitally in the meantime. Megan Koyanagi is the guest editor and the theme is Chinatowns. Stories include: • Beyond Chinatown: The Chinese and English Phrase Book; by Imogene Lim • A Match Not Made in Heaven, by Catherine Clement • A Sense of Belonging: Chinese Societies, by Larry K.F. Chin • Canned Salmon and China Lily: Chinese and Indigenous relations in Small-town British Columbia, by Sarah Ling • Remembering Smithers Chinatown, by Kira Westby and Eric Holdijk • Not So Uncommon an Oath: The “Chicken Oath” in BC Chinese Canadians’ Testimonies, by Andrew R. Sandfort-Marchese • Sharing Stories of My Chinese Community, by Elwin Xie Plus we have regular contributions from Front Words columnist Mark Forsythe, writer-in-residence Spencer Legebokoff, and books editor Dalys Barney. Dalys also looks at The Longest Shot, a recent book celebrating the legacy of Larry Kwong, the first player of Asian descent in the NHL. To subscribe or order individual copies go to https://www.bchistory.ca/magazine
Vancouver's beachside neighbourhood Kitsilano is examined and analyzed in this well-illustrated lecture to the Vancouver Historical Society by Michael Kluckner, beginning with the Sen̓áḵw indigenous village at the mouth of False Creek. Kitsilano's notable characters and housing are described over a century of development and returning to the mini-city now being built on a portion of the old Indian Reserve and the high-rises proposed for its the long-settled streets.
Kelowna's Bob Hayes, a recipient of a 2017 BCHF Certificate of Recognition, has died at 69.
Hayes was an elementary school teacher and regular history contributor to the Daily Courier.
His BCHF award was the result of a nomination from the Kelowna Museums Society, whose executive director wrote: "His approach is inclusive, he is an assiduous researcher, his demeanour is kind and humble, and his generosity is selfless."
Read more from Castanet.
Just in time for holiday gifting, Revelstoke Museum & Archives is releasing their new book, "Stories Beneath The Surface", an accompaniment to their on-site and digital exhibits of the same name.
The photographs in this book portray life in the valley prior to the building of the Hugh Keenleyside dam, particularly the area known as Revelstoke Reach, from Revelstoke to Arrowhead. Discover the rich history of this region, as you dive beneath the surface and discover the lost stories of the valley.
"Stories Beneath The Surface" is available in-person, or online through the museum's store.
Full Summary:
On June 9, 1969, the Hugh Keenleyside dam on the Columbia River was officially opened just north of Castlegar, B.C., creating a reservoir that stretched over 240 km.
The reservoir created by the dam wiped out or severely affected several communities between Revelstoke and Castlegar, and displaced 2000 people.
The construction of the dam was part of the terms of the Columbia River Treaty between the governments of Canada and the United States, and it was originally built solely as a storage dam, with no hydro-electric generation. It was built to control the flow of the Columbia River into the state of Washington, for flood control, irrigation, and maximization of the Grand Coulee Dam. The people who lived on the Columbia River were not consulted, nor were the Sinixt people or any other Indigenous nations.
More than 50 years later, the impacts of a dam built so far away and so long ago are often not understood by people moving to the valley. People visit the “flats” south of Revelstoke and notice the fluctuation of the water, but don’t know its cause. The stories of the valley have been flooded out along with the farmland and the communities that once existed.
British Columbia Historical FederationPO Box 448, Fort Langley, BC, Canada, V1M 2R7Information: info@bchistory.ca
The Secretariat of the BCHF is located on the unceded territories of the Coast Salish speaking Peoples.
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