Plans to revitalize two heritage buildings in Kelowna's mission will come before council Monday afternoon.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/City of Kelowna
May 12, 2017 - 9:00 PM
KELOWNA - Work to revitalize a long standing eyesore in the Mission area could be approved by council on Monday.
An application to revive the Surtees Barn and Homestead, located at 4629 Lakeshore Rd, right beside St. Andrew’s Church, will come before Kelowna City Council at Monday's afternoon council meeting.
In addition to revitalizing the dilapidated heritage buildings, a 2,100 square foot, single storey commercial building is proposed.
“As a fan of adaptive reuse, we really wanted to come up with something that would allow new uses for these historic buildings,” reads the application put forward by Worman Homes. “Our hope is that through this collaborative approach to the site design we have created a project that will shine, both today and far into the future.”
In order to facilitate a new access road - a roundabout at Lakeshore Road and Collett Road, the two buildings are planned to be moved slightly within the property.
Aside from removing two additions to the house, little structural changes to the building will be made.
Dating back to 1910, the Surtees House is the oldest building in the area. It was originally used as the Ritz Café and run by two local women. In 1924 Allan Surtees and his wife Ishbel Agnes Majoribanks bought the building and used it as their home.
Majoribanks’ grandfather, Dudley, owned shares in the Hudson’s Bay Company and the Kelowna oil wells. Part of his inheritance went towards the construction of the Surtees barn, in 1927.
The barn housed local riding club dances, as well as served as a workspace for artists.
Both buildings have been owned by the City since July, 2002.
The original Surtees homestead, built in 1910.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/City of Kelowna
The Surtees homestead as it currently stands.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/City of Kelowna
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