Local society hopes Heritage Week will spark year-round interest

Feb 16, 2017 | 4:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — February 13-19 is designated B.C. Heritage Week. 

Locally, the Kamloops Museum and the Kamloops Heritage Society are encouraging residents to get out and explore the city’s history. 

Kamloops has 10 designated heritage buildings, and more than 100 historically significant sites.

As of the spring, the Kamloops Heritage Society will increase its number of tours throughout the city. More building, especially residential homes, will be recognized as historically significant.

The Kamloops Museum and Archives has provided photographs that have been placed outside historic buildings during Heritage Week. 

“They’re historical images of businesses: the Plaza Hotel has a long history in Kamloops, Kip-Mallery, Kennell’s,” said Kamloops Museum supervisor Julia Cyr. “So, they show streetscape images of the buildings as they were 60-70 years ago.”

While Heritage Week ends on Sunday, Andrew Yarmie, chair of the Kamloops Heritage Society, hopes it will spark a year-long celebration of Kamloops history. 

“It’s like a call for action to think about heritage and to try and preserve the heritage you have within your community,” Yarmie said. 

The myKamloops app allows user to take a journey back in time. 

“You can find pictures of 114 heritage sites within the community and fairly detailed descriptions of them as well.”

A North Shore heritage tour is also being developed, with 18 plaques to be installed in the spring. 

Yarmie says there are plenty of historical homes that are yet to be recognized.

“We’d like to encourage people to apply for a heritage recognition plaque, the oval plaque,” Yarmie said. “If you’re proud of your home, and you think it has a historical background just give us a call, the best way to do that is to phone the museum and they’ll contact us.”

The Kamloops Museum and Archives is encouraging residents to dig into the past, and explore the many historic images they have available to the public. 

“We encourage the public to please come to our archives and conduct research,” Cyr said. “You can research people, and places, different themes, your own home’s heritage and history within the town. So, as part of heritage week we welcome everyone to please come and enjoy your heritage.”