1

The restored Benvoulin Heritage Church now open to the community
Circa 1987
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Ray Helgeson (photographer)

2

Following the re-opening of the Benvoulin Church in 1986, the building and site have continued to develop into a significant and well-used venue in the community. Over the years there have been changes to the site and buildings in order to better serve the community. The heritage character of the site has made it one of the most unique and beautiful locations in Kelowna. The support and involvement by the community has continued to grow to include a greater range of people.

3

Aerial view of Benvoulin Heritage Park surrounded by agricultural land, looking south-east
Circa early 1990s
Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Ray Helgeson (photographer)

4

Once the building renovations were complete, the site landscaping began. Most of the planning and physical work was carried out by Fran and Ray Helgeson. It was their vision, with the Board's approval to create an English-style country garden on the site. All agreed that the gardens would make an appropriate background to the simple country church in a rural landscape.

When the Helgeson's began their landscape work on the site, the front lawn had been planted, but little else. The bushes around the church had not been trimmed for years. There were years of accumulation of rocks and weeds over the rest of the 2.5 acre property. Most of 1987 was spent tidying up, trimming bushes, pulling weeds and moving rocks to make it possible to develop a back yard that could be cut with a lawn mower. The Heritage Society received a grant for $7,500 from the City of Kelowna, in order to pave the parking lot and driveway in the fall of 1987. This helped to make the property more useable.

In 1988 Ray and Fran began to landscape the grounds based on their vision of an old English country garden. A number of volunteers came out to assist.

The large pile of dirt that had been hauled out from under the church during the restoration work on the foundation, became the base soil for the gardens. Flower beds were developed down both sides of the property. A split-rail cedar fence was built along the north side of the property. Numerous donations of perennials and shrubs contributed to the beautiful gardens that exist today.

In 1993 a number of nut tree varieties were donated by Frank and Chelta (Reid) Snowsell, and were planted at the back of the site.

5

Benvoulin Heritage Park's country gardens
Circa 2000
Benvoulin Heritage Park, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Ray Helgeson (photographer)

6

Fran Helgeson maintaining the country gardens at Benvoulin Heritage Park
Circa 1990s
Benvoulin Heritage Park, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Ray Helgeson (photographer)

7

View looking west at Benvoulin Heritage Park's country gardens
Circa 2000s
Benvoulin Heritage Park, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Ray Helgeson (photographer)

8

Ray and Fran Helgeson, site managers, in front of the McIver House
Circa 1998
Benvoulin Heritage Park, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

9

Newspaper article on the Benvoulin Heritage Church's 100th anniversary open house celebrations
12 August 1992
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Capital News, by Rob Gerein, 1992

10

With the restoration complete, COHS operated the church as a heritage site on a year-to-year lease with the United Church. Attempts to improve the lease led to the provisional agreement to sell. In 1992, by the time of the church's 100th Anniversary, an agreement had been reached in which the Central Okanagan Heritage Society purchased the site for a "very reasonable" amount of money ($60,000), according to Rosemary Zelinika, the COHS president at time. The Heritage Society, with much help from the community, was able to pay off the mortgage taken out to purchase the site in 1994. A reason to celebrate!

There were a number of events held to celebrate the Benvoulin Heritage Church's 100th Anniversary. These events included: an open house at the site on Sunday August 16th; a concert on Friday September 11th; a morning and evening church service on Sunday, September 13; an art show on September 20th. These celebrations attracted a wide range of people.

11

MASK performing at Benvoulin Heritage Church as part of the 100th anniversary concert
11 September 1992
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

12

Benvoulin Heritage Church's 100th anniversary evening church service program
13 September 1992
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

13

Art show held at the Benvoulin Heritage Church as part of the 100th anniversary celebration
20 September 1992
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds
Kelowna Daily Courier, by Shannon Topham, September 20, 1992

14

As the Benvoulin Heritage Park site continued to attract more people to the use the church and the grounds, ideas about how to make the site more useable were discussed. In 1994, the society was offered the McIver House, a circa 1900s farmhouse.

Pat (McIver) Arcand, her brother Barry and mother Harriet, wanted to see the house preserved and lived in once more. The family decided to donate the farmhouse to COHS. Pat had gotten to know Ray Helgeson, caretaker at the Benvoulin property, while Pat worked in the Planning department for the City of Kelowna and Ray as a local newspaper photographer. The friendship between the Arcands and the Helgesons was a key reason behind the donation to the Heritage Society.

The McIver House would be moved to the back of the site, at the location of the original church manse, which burned down in the late 1960s, and would serve as the site managers' new residence. This would not only give the site managers a new and larger home, but it would free up Reid Hall to once again become available as a public meeting space with a kitchen, washroom and bridal change room. By accepting the McIver house, the society preserved and restored another heritage building, which would likely have been lost.