Summerland

At a Glance...

Population: 10,584 - 1996

Chamber of Commerce: 1-250-494-2686

Must Sees

Summerland Research Ornamental Gardens

Giant’s Head Mountain

Summerland Trout Hatchery

View overlooking Summerland

from The Lost Moose Restaurant in Penticton

Everything you need for a great holiday is available in Summerland. Warm sunshine, scenic tours, long stretches of beaches and friendly people wait to welcome you.

Like several other Okanagan towns, Summerland began as a dream. J.M. Robinson’s dreamed of establishing a settlement for pioneers. It grew and flourished and was incorporated as a municipality in 1906. It was the home of many firsts. It had the first electric light in the Okanagan. It had the first college in western Canada and the first consolidated grade school in B.C.

Summerland was two communities in the beginning. Parkdale and Summerland survived, in harmony, for many years. Parkdale became West Summerland and when rebuilding began, after the fire of 1922, the main business district was moved up the hill. By 1964 the two towns became one when one of the post offices closed.

The downtown core, of the present Summerland, has taken on the atmosphere of a quaint Olde English Town. Many of the special activities reflect this theme and everyone gets into the act.

Many of the amenities that drew pioneers west to Robinson’s dream town are still drawing people to settle and retire in the gentle climate, and beautiful setting by the lake.

In 1881 a decision was made to run the Canadian Pacific Railway through the Kicking Horse Pass, which is well north of the U.S./ Canadian Border. This decision put the southern interior of B.C. in a vulnerable position. In 1887 silver was discovered in the Kooteney’s, Americans poured across the border and there was concern that the southern interior would be lost to the American influences. The need for the K.V.R from the interior to the Pacific was increasing.

After many attempts were made, in 1910 the construction finally got underway and was completed by 1915.

Summerland was almost bypassed, but public pressure for an "infinitesimal bridge" (which ended up being the largest one of its kind in North America), over Trout Creek brought trains to West Summerland Station.

By 1959, washouts on the Coquihalla Pass caused the train to be rerouted. Passengers and freight had to go around the longer route. With roads improving and cars and trucks becoming more convenient, the railway started to die. By 1991, a 16 Kilometer section from Winslow to Faulder was all that was left.

In 1989 the Kettle Valley Railway Heritage Society was formed to preserve and operate the steam railway. With the help of then Minister of Small Business, Bill Barlee, local M.L.A. Jim Beattie and others in the provincial Government, the society gained title in 1993. The Royal British Columbia Museum and the British Columbia Forest Museum teamed up with the society and the project began. In 1994 B.C. Rail and Canadian Pacific donated three coaches and a caboose. B.C. Forest Museum loaned a locomotive in 1995.

The society opened for business September 17th, 1995, with 4 km of track and a train ready to go. So get on board the K.V.R. and experience a little of the years gone by. All Aboard!

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