walk tour brch cover

the
Kelowna
Cultural District
Sculpting
space
of
Self Guided Walking Tour
The City of Kelowna is proud to own 43 works of Public Art,
located in both indoor and outdoor settings throughout the
city. Kelowna’s Cultural District is home to 16 of these. For
complete information, pick up our informative Public Art
Brochure at visitor information centres or kiosks.
Look for the following pieces in the Cultural District,
as marked by purple dots on the map.
Rhapsody
Circle of Friendship
I Had a Dream
WAC Bennett
Memorial Courtyard
& Clock Tower
On the Beach
Geert Maas,
Waterfront Park, 2002
A Quiet Beauty
Assumes our Valley
Bob Kingsmill, Kelowna
Community Theatre, 2000
Spirit of Kelowna
Geert Maas, City Hall, 2008
Sentinel
Dawn MacNutt,
City Hall, 2002
Okanagan
Sunflowers
Jo Scott-B, City Hall, 2002
Hartley & Turik Architects
& Neon Products
Queensway Transit Hub, 1981
Running Man
Marion Lea Jamieson
Queensway Transit Hub, 2002
Natural Language
Jennifer Macklem & Kip
Jones, Library Plaza, 2000
Fruit Stand
Glen Andersen & TS
Thomas, Artwalk, 2002
Concept to Creation
Diane Gorvin, Philip Bews
& Jonathan Yeltatzie
Rotary Centre for the Arts
Courtyard, 2002
Elemental
Crystal Pryzbille, Cawston
Avenue tree grates, 2002
Skagway
Robert Murray,
Kelowna Art Gallery, 1977
Untitled
Peter von Tiesenhausen,
Kelowna Art Gallery, 1998
Cultural Services
TEL 250 862-3384
TEL 866 903-3384
culture@kelowna.ca
KelownaCulturalDistrict.com
Zhao Lei,
Waterfront Park, 2002
Geert Maas,
Kasugai Gardens, 1997
PRINTED IN CANADA/09
R. Dow Reid,
Waterfront Park, 1993
to
Kelowna’s
February
Heritage Week
Winter Olympic Screening at the KCT
KMA
Cultural District
March
Wearable Art Gala
KMA
how
In the beginning the City of
Kelowna devoted planning and
capital to turn this area into a
Cultural District. An expanding
collection of galleries, museums, performance venues and arts facilities were
joined by a resort hotel, upscale residential development and
beautiful Waterfront Park.
what
Starting in 2000, major initiatives were simultaneously
undertaken to deliver the City’s planned vision of a peopled
place, one that lives beyond business hours, and provides for
public enjoyment of Okanagan Lake. Now you will find year
round arts, entertainment, outdoor festivals, classes and
workshops, boutiques and restaurants, sports and natural
spaces, and Public Art.
In search of ...
check out our four information kiosks
at the Dolphins, Sails, Rotary Centre
for the Arts and Queensway.
Only
one traffic light!
KMA
who
In the north downtown area, city planners were faced
with a defunct industrial zone, previously home to
canneries, railways, shipping wharves, a
sawmill, packinghouse and even a cigar
factory. This 6-block area, once the centre of
the Okanagan fruit-packing industry was ripe
for a rethink, with much of this land in public
ownership.
50 minute
outdoor stroll.
events
April
BC Interior Jazz Festival
Okanagan International Film Festival
May
Okanagan Spring Wine Festival
June
Aboriginal Days Celebration
Fat Cat Children’s Festival
Father’s Day Show & Shine
July
Celebrate Canada Day Kelowna
DKA Summer Nite Car Show
Cherry Fair - Kelowna Museums
Kelowna Jazz & Blues Festival
August
Downtown Mardi Gras Street Festival
Kelowna Apple Triathalon
Kelowna Clay Festival - triennial
September
International Literacy Day
Kelowna Art Gallery Uncorked International
Kelowna Dragon Boat Festival
Peak to Beak Race
Walk & Roll Car Free Day
October
Kelowna Art Gallery Seeing Red & White
Apple Fair - Kelowna Museums
Okanagan International Marathon
Okanagan Fall Wine Festival
November
BC Interior Music Awards
Downtown Christmas Light Up
Rotary Centre for the Arts
Evergreen
Homes for the Holidays
Performing arts
Ballet Kelowna
Chamber Music Kelowna
Jazz Café
Kelowna Actors Studio
Kelowna Community Concerts
Okanagan Symphony
RCA Spotlight Series
Shakespeare Kelowna
Sunshine Theatre Company
Theatre Kelowna Society
Viva Musica Society
Festivals Kelowna
Celebrate Canada Day - Kelowna
Parks Alive! Summer Concert Series
Arts Alive Artisans & Crafters
Kelowna Buskers Program
September - April
September - April
February - August
Year Round
September - April
October - May
September - May
Winter & Summer
October - April
Winter & Spring
August & February
July
July & August
May - September
Year Round
For up-to-date listings go to
KelownaCulturalDistrict.com
250 862-3384 or 1 866-903-3384
Have a question ...
watch for the Downtown Kelowna Association
Biz Patrol, acting as ambassadors
May – September.
KMA
&
Festivals
welcome
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at Waterfront
Park.
Entitled Rhapsody, this sculpture
was commissioned in 1993 by
Kelowna’s Mayor and the Grand hotel
developer. It was created by local artist
Robert Dow Reid who also created the
Spirit of Sail sculpture.
The Okanagan Heritage Museum
exhibits both permanent and rotating displays,
exploring Okanagan natural and human history.
Kelowna Museums consists of four separate
museums, housed in three different buildings
along Ellis Street: Okanagan Heritage, Okanagan
Military, BC Orchard Industry and BC Wine Museums.
A fifth museum, the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame,
is in development.
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At the foot of the canal bridge is a three-sided information
kiosk, where you’ll find historical references, events listings and
city brochures. There are four kiosks in total as identified by red
dots on the map.
Waterfront Park was created to provide greater public access to,
and enjoyment of, Okanagan Lake. You’ll find waterfalls,
bridges, lit boardwalk, beach and stunning Okanagan landscape
views.
Rotary Marsh is a natural wetland
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preserved during the residential
development of this area. In 1996,
Council endorsed a city policy to
protect natural areas and sensitive
lands. Watch for the osprey nest.
Returning to Tugboat Beach,
there are two Public Art installations:
the poetic sculpture I Had a Dream by
Zhao Lei, and the bronze family On the
Beach by Geert Maas.
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Located in the Memorial Arena, the Okanagan
Military Museum is dedicated to collecting,
preserving and interpreting memorabilia
relating to the military service of Okanagan
Valley residents. Its location has historical
significance, as the Arena was built in 1946 and
dedicated to WWII soldiers.
On the opposite side of Ellis Street, from Queensway all the way to
Clement Avenue, is a collection of interesting boutiques and
restaurants.
The Kelowna Library was built in 1996. Its architecture
quotes from the District's industrial past. Other new buildings in
the District also reflect this history.
Prominent in the Library's front plaza is Natural Language, a twopiece stainless steel sculpture installation by Jennifer Macklem
and Kip Jones. The spiral bench and rotating infinity
form are popular spots for parents and children.
The Simpson Boardwalk is
named after local sawmill and box
factory owner Stanley Simpson, who
sold much of this waterfront
property to the city in 1945.
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Island Stage is at the center of
Waterfront Park. Parks Alive! brings free
performances here, as well as other park
locations, during July and August. On July 1st
Celebrate Canada Day is held in Waterfront Park.
Beautiful Waterfront Park is a prominent feature of the cultural
district, and was made possible by a public/private partnership
involving the Grand Okanagan Resort and several condominium
developments.
Strolling along Kelowna's Waterfront Promenade you'll find
several Busk Stops, designated for visiting buskers. Five of the
10 are located within the district, as marked by blue dots on the
map. Buskers can be anything from jugglers to bagpipers and
work by donation, so be sure to show your appreciation.
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The Rotary Centre for the Arts is an
architectural gem, built around and over the
old Growers Supply agricultural warehouse.
Beams, walls and flooring from the original
building are still evident and contribute to the
RCA's place on the city's Heritage Register.
This multi-purpose facility opened in 2002 and is the
culmination of a grassroots community effort stretching back
to the 70s. It houses a 326-seat theatre, rehearsal hall, eight
artist studios, an art gallery, a dance studio, rentable space
and a bistro. The Sunshine Theatre Company and Alternator
Centre for Contemporary Art also call the RCA home.
The Arts Common is a city park located between the RCA
and the Kelowna Art Gallery, and is used for festivals and
performances. Along Cawston Avenue look for decorative tree
grates, titled Elemental, created by Crystal Przybille as a
Public Art project.
The Kelowna Art Gallery is strategically
located across from the only hotel in the
Cultural District. The KAG hosts a diverse
calendar of local, national and international
exhibits, with innovative and educational
public programming for all ages. Founded in
1976, the Kelowna Art Gallery spent its first 20
years within the Okanagan Heritage Museum,
moving here in 1996. Sculptures, Skagway by Robert
Murray and, Untitled by Peter von Tiesenhausen, enhance
outdoor spaces adjacent to the Gallery.
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The Laurel Packinghouse is the
former BC Growers Packing House.
Built in 1917 with local brick, it is
the oldest packinghouse in BC. Its
foundation
is
angled
to
accommodate the railtrack of
Canadian Northern Railway which
once served the fruit industry and
crisscrossed the District. This historical
landmark is home to two Kelowna Museums:
• BC Orchard Industry Museum
explores the pioneer development of the
Okanagan, from wide open cattle range to
irrigated and productive fruit orchards.
HOTEL AND
CONFERENCE
CENTRE
• BC Wine Museum & VQA Wine Shop displays
viticulture artifacts, and provides informative tastings and
seminars. The VQA Wine Shop sells hundreds of British
Columbia’s wines with the Vintner’s Quality Alliance
designation.
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The Old Cannery Building was built in 1912
as a cigar factory and became a cannery in 1918,
operating until 1960. The building has been
segmented into many retail spaces. There is
front access along Ellis Street and back lane
access along Cannery Lane.
Next along your tour, you will see the marina and clubhouse of
the Kelowna Yacht Club.
Kelowna Community
Theatre was built in 1962. It is
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The
The Cannery Lofts building sits across Ellis Street,
adding more industrial design aesthetic to the District.
Kelowna’s first performance
theatre, seating 868. The
Community Theatre is home to
Kelowna’s two professional
touring arts groups, the
Okanagan Symphony Orchestra
and Ballet Kelowna. Its lobby
boasts the ceramic mural A Quiet
Beauty Assumes our Valley by Bob
Kingsmill.
In 1923 the Canadian Northern Railway
amalgamated with a number of failing
railway companies to create the
Canadian National Railway. The first
passenger train arrived in Kelowna in
1925 but Kelowna’s CNR Station
was only constructed in 1927. This
marked the beginning of passenger
service to Kelowna, which ended in
1965. This heritage building is undergoing 14
major restoration.
Next along the promenade is
Stuart Park. This city property is undergoing
major reconstruction, in the first of a three part
plan, to recreate the downtown waterfront. Plans
call for a skating rink, riparian habitat, major
Public Art installation and more.
Across Water Street is City Hall. Built in 1950, it was the first
of a city-core move away from historical Bernard Avenue. It is
open Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm. Spirit of Kelowna, by Geert
Maas is a prominent art feature of the foyer.
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Kasugai Garden
is a symbol of
friendship with Kelowna’s Sister City,
Kasugai Japan. It was completed in
1987 by Kelowna farmer Roy Tanaka,
with assistance from visiting
Japanese gardeners. The sculpture
Circle of Friendship by Geert Maas
stands at the double gates.
Beside Kasugai Garden is Kelowna’s
most timely Public Art - the Bennett Courtyard and
Clock Tower, a memorial to distinguished Kelowna
resident and politician WAC Bennett. Across the busy
transit exchange is Marion Lea Jamieson’s whimsical
sculpture aptly named Running Man.
Kelowna was named a Cultural Capital of Canada by
the Department of Canadian Heritage in 2004, and
celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2005.
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Prospera Place, built through a public/private
partnership, opened in 1999. This 6,000 seat venue hosts
major concerts, events and trade shows. It is home to the
Kelowna Rockets hockey team; the 2004 Memorial Cup and
the 2009 WHL champions.
Kelowna Cultural District
15 The Kelowna Farmers’ Market visits the Cultural
District between June and September, on Thursdays from
4pm - 9pm. You'll find local craft, produce and food vendors
ready to offer a taste of the Okanagan. Check them out in the
parking lot next to the Rhapsody plaza.
The Kelowna Actors Studio is directly across Ellis Street
from the Library. This unique performance venue, housed in a
former cold storage warehouse, is Kelowna's only dinner theatre,
offering year-round entertainment.
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The Artwalk connects pedestrian traffic through
the cultural district. The grape vines are North
American native vitus labrusca. Fruit Stand, a
sculpture grouping of seven fruit forms,
benches and apple box mosaics by Glen
Andersen and TS Thomas, pays tribute to
Kelowna's agricultural history.
On the south side of the
Rotary Centre for the Arts
courtyard, you'll spot From
Concept to Creation, a sculpture
created by Diane Gorvin, Philip Bews
and Jonathan Yeltatzie. This work illustrates
the creative process from idea to finished form.
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