Join our Young Canada Works students on a guided tour of our downtown heritage. Tours will be offered in August on Fridays at 10 am, weather dependent, starting at the Oliver Visitor Centre.
Bring a hat, shades and water bottle and learn about our built heritage, Oliver’s early days, and other fun historical facts. Tours will run through August 30. If you’d like to do the tour on your own time, stop by the Archives, Museum or Visitor Centre for a copy of the self-guided tour.
Want more information about the Oliver and District heritage Society, Museum, and Archives? Click on the PDF link below to read the latest Lamplighter newsletter.
Many people in Oliver are aware we are paired with a sister city in Japan: Bandai.
But did you know Oliver also has a sister city just south of the border: Chelan, Washington? What makes Chelan and Oliver “sisters”? What similarities in our history, peoples, and culture bring us together?
Visit the Oliver Museum until June 15th to view the display designed by the Chelan Museum. The exhibit includes this old camera, once owned by a Chelan photographer, compared to Ansel Adams for his nature photography. The exhibit also includes an array of attractive apple crate labels, and native artefacts.
Darryl Mackenzie, curator of the Oliver Museum, will be putting together a similar display for the Chelan Museum, to reciprocate in this cross-border event. Check out the Chelan Museum website here: http://chelanmuseum.com/
Hey! Did you know the Oliver Museum used to be the police detachment? Downstairs was the public offices and jail, and upstairs were the living quarters for the senior officer. Check out the history of the building as well as the history and culture of our sister city. Darryl is full of fascinating information, and just waiting for you to pick his brain!
Oliver Museum9728 – 356th Ave., just north of Oliver’s Town Hallmuseumdirector @ persona.caMuseum Hours: 9 – 12 noon and 1 – 4 p.m. Monday to Friday
Don’t forget the Oliver and District Heritage Society AGM on Wednesday May 18, 7 p.m. at the Quail’s Nest Arts Centre. Geologist and artist Dr. Murray Roed is the guest speaker on the topic of “Roadside Geology”. The public is welcome. See below for the full article.
The Oliver and District Heritage Society celebrates BC’s Heritage Week in the third week of February (21st – 27th). This year the provincial theme is “A Century of Conservation: Parks and Cultural Landscapes”, selected in honour of the centennial of BC Parks. “Whatever its size, makeup or purpose, every park is a testament to the culture of conservation which unites the values of heritage and environmental protection.” says the Heritage BC website (http://www.heritagebc.ca/events/heritage-week)
The ODHS festivities include an evening celebrating the local heritage of the Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary. The evening will include some fascinating history of conservation at the sanctuary, and some remarkable facts about its ecosystem. Adding a visual dimension to the evening will be a display of artisitic impressions of the Vaseux Lake area and its wildlife. The Oliver Sagebrushers have volunteered to showcase some of their artwork. Other arts groups are invited to exhibit pieces reflecting the natural heritage of this local park. Contact
The Oliver and District Heritage Society presents
“A Century of Conservation: Vaseux Lake Bird Sanctuary”Thursday February 247:00 p.m.Quail’s Nest Arts Centre,34274 95th Street, Oliver BC
Information: museumdirector@persona.ca, 250-498-0490
More information about the park: The park protects 10 red listed plant ecosystems the cover the whole spectrum from desert to wetland. Including Antelope brush, Big sage, Bluebunch wheatgrass, Balsamroot, and Red osier dogwood.
There is an astounding number of rare wildlife species in this small park. There are seven blue and two red listed mammals known in the park, including California bighorn sheep, badger and Pallid bat. The park is a birder’s paradise with 11 red listed species and 9 blue listed species present. Five blue listed reptiles are found in the park, as well as the red listed Night snake, the rarest snake in Canada. Common waterfowl are Canada geese, trumpeter swans, blue-winged teal, widgeons and wood ducks. Lazuli bunting are spotted in the spring – sharing the area with toads, turtles, beavers, muskrats, rabbits and deer.
Come discover things you never knew about Vaseux Lake and celebrate 100 years of conservation with the Oliver District Heritage Society!
The 2010 Fall Art Show and Sale waxes nostalgic this year, with a competition, exhibit, and sale that reminisces: “Aaaah, those were the days!” Paired with Oliver’s Festival of the Grape for several years now and held at the same venue, the Oliver Community Arts Council event always draws a huge crowd of locals and tourists.
The Fall Art Show and Sale is held on Saturday October 2 and Sunday October 3 at the Oliver Community Centre Hall. The Saturday event opens at 3 p.m. with an exhibit, sale, and public voting on the competitive entries. Free admission on Saturday from 3 – 9 p.m.
This year, 71 works of art will compete across seven categories: Painting – Representational, Painting – Abstract, Photography, Fibre Arts, Three – Dimensional, New Media, and Emerging Artists (under 19) . The winners are selected by public ballot. An overall best-in-show category requires the winning entry to reflect “Best Interpretation of the Theme”. The theme, “Those Were the Days”, is broad enough to allow artists a wide interpretation: last summer’s vacation to the last century’s pioneer culture.
In addition to the competitive entries, two non-competitive displays will also be on show. The Oliver and District Heritage Society exhibits a slice of Oliver’s history with their display of Oliver’s Museum and Archives treasures from the 1930’s. The popular RipOff Artists will present their latest multimedia interpretation of a famous artwork: Lawren Harris’ Mount Lefroy. The Group of Seven painting is recreated in wood, quilting, weaving, oils, watercolours, encaustic (wax), photography, and three-dimensional installations.
Mirroring the nostalgic theme, the Oliver Community Arts Council will run a silent auction of small antiques and collectables from the early to mid 20th century. Among the charming items for bid are a bakelite vanity set from the 1920s, Royal Winton chintzware, and several porcelain and silver items. The collectables silent auction will run across both Saturday and Sunday. An additional wine auction will run on the Saturday only.
Visit the information table both days for promotional items, OCAC memberships, publicity about upcoming arts events, and information about OCAC member groups and businesses. Learn about the work of the Oliver Community Arts Council by viewing their powerpoint presentation. Make an offer on two lovely works of art donated to the council for fund raising purposes.
On Saturday evening, a public reception begins at 7 p.m. with live entertainment, appetizers, and wine. At 8 p.m. voting on entries closes and the ballots are counted. Right before 9 p.m., winners in all categories will be announced. Silent auction winners can claim their wine prizes.
On Sunday, the Fall Art Show and Sale continues by admission through your Festival of the Grape ticket. The exhibit is open from 12:00 noon to 5:30 p.m. Although the competitive portion is over, the show and sale continues. View the winners across all categories. Wander through the Heritage Society and RipOff Artists’ exhibits. Meet the artists. Make a silent auction bid on “Those Were the Days” collectables before 5:00 p.m! Become a member of the Oliver Community Arts Council. Buy some OCAC promotional items. Wax nostalgic, fall in love with art, and purchase artwork at the sale. Bring your chequebook and plastic! Take a piece of Oliver home with you!
Poster artwork by Evie New
Poster layout by Heather Fink
