Citizens for a Historic Westbank

Protect - Preserve and Promote - Westbank, BC - V4T

Westbank History and What Happened to Our Town...

     For over 100 years Westbank was an unincorporated town just like many others in BC and across Canada.

This is a timeline of what was Westbank and the issues and problems that might help to

explain what has happened to the community of Westbank.

1811---Before Westbank became a settled area, it was recognized as an early trading centre and became the                      place where the fur traders met on the Old Caribou Trail—the Cairn at the corner of Main St. and Old                        Okanagan Hwy commemorates this.

1811-1848—First Name of Area---Area named MacDonald’s Plain after an officer with the Hudson’s

          Bay Company, This name was forgotten in 1848 with the abandonment of the Okanagan

          Brigade Trail following the settlement of the International Boundary in 1848.

1842---Chief Tomat born, place of birth unknown—in 1920 became the first chief of the Okanagan

           Indian Band which included the Westbank area—Chief Tomat School is named in his honour  

1872---Susan Allison became the first white woman to settle on the west bank of Okanagan Lake

1872-1881—Second Name of Area--Area named Sunnyside by Susan Allison. (Allison home— 

          Quail’s Gate Wine Store) After the disastrous loss of  1000 head of cattle in the winter of 1880-81

          the Allisons left Sunnyside. The name Sunnyside was lost for there were no other settlers to remember.

          In 1931 an article appeared in the Vancouver Province about a book about the pioneers. 

          Dorothy Gellatly corresponded with the author of a book in which Susan Allison’s recollections were

          published  and so the revival of the name “Sunnyside”.

1873--First white child born on west bank of Okanagan Lake--Jan. 2nd Susan Allison

          gave birth to her 4th child, Louisa

1890—Robert Goldie pre-empted the flat once known as MacDonald’s Plain (at what was to become

           the new townsite of Westbank) Here he built a home –later abandoned. The house is is still standing

           on Elliott Rd. in Westbank. This is the oldest building in Westbank.

1889---Billy Powers pre-empted the flat –it became known as Powers Flat. It was abandoned in 1890.

           Powers Creek is named after Billy Powers.

1894—First white Birth recorded—(Royal BC Archives)—John Clarence Davidson—District of Westbank

1897---First school opened  to serve children of the Shannon Lake area.

1900—First settlers into Glenrosa area—David Strang and his mother. Three yrs. later 1903—Mr. LD Hitchner

1900---The Gellatlys arrive to take passion of the area known as Powers Flat. This area became known as

           Gellatly Flat. The land was cleared, greenhouses were built and tomatoes were planted. Mr. Gellatly

           became  known as the “Tomato King of the Okanagan.” Some of the original buildings can be seen at

           the Gellatly Heritage Park and the Gellaly Nut Farm  in Westbank.

1901---Third Name of Area—Westside—Leonard Hayman always claimed that the entire stretch of country

           on the west bank of Okanagan Lake from Whitman’s Creek south was generally known as “Westside.”

1901—The next settlers took up land around a lake known as tenas by the Indians (meaning small) 

           The lake became known as Shannon Lake.

1901—Fourth Name of Area—Hall’s Landing. After Mr. Goldie’s departure Mr. Robert Hall entered into             

           partnership with Shannon Marshall to grow grain on the “Goldie Flat.” Equipment for harvesting

           was delivered  on the beach of Okanagan Lake where a small wharf called Halls Landing was built.

1902---Fifth Name of Area—Westbank The first Westbank Post Office was started at Shannon Lake. The post

           office was named Westbank by John Davidson and Shannon Marshall was the first Post Master.

1903---Post office established at Gellatly—closing in 1926—it’s later quarters being in the “big house” Mr.

          Gellatly built as a surprise for his wife while she was holidaying in Scotland in 1908.

1908—The Westbank post office located at Shannon Lake,was moved to the new town site of Westbank.

1908—School built in new town site of Westbank

1912---Sub Westbank Post Office established in Glenrosa—closing in 1933

1913---School Built in Glenrosa—closed in 1942 because there were only 8 children attending.

           Glenrosa students attended school in Westbank.

1914/18-WW 1 –Westbank men that gave their lives for Canada –Henry Richmond, Cryil Gore, Walter d’Aeth

1922---Westbank Irrigation District formed.

1924—Captain Len Hayman launched Aricia -Ferry known as the Kelowna-Westbank Ferry

1927---Westbank Community Hall built by volunteer material and labour.

1928---Westbank Women’s Institute –members worked to better conditions in their somewhat scattered

            district which reached from the Westbank ferry landing across from Kelowna to the Peachland boundary.    

           They were instrumental in naming many of the streets in honour of the early pioneers and founded the

           Westbank Fall Fair,

1939---Electric power to Westbank

1939---Westbank and District Chamber of Commerce was formed—first called Westbank Board of Trade.

1939/45—WW 2-Westbank men that gave their lives for Canada –names on Cairn outside Westbank Community

            Hall --Flt.Sgt. Leonard Hoskins RCAF, Flying Officer Vernon Yeulett, Tpr. Frank Browne,

            Flying Officer Rev. George Pringle—minister at Peachland and Westbank United Church.

            (school named after him)

            Cpl. TR Clough, Flt. Lt. Fred Ewer, Jack Currie—(Korean War).

1947---Veterans Land Act VLA (Lakeview Heights-named by Geoff Gray in approx.1951) divided into 12 acre

            parcels for Canadian returning servicemen.

1949---Rose Valley Dam built

1950---MLA WC Bennett declared that long range plans call for a modern highway on both sides of 

           Okanagan Lake from Penticton to Vernon with a bridge across the center of the lake between

           Kelowna and Westbank. That year Westbank’s Board of Trade entered a float in the Kelowna Regatta

           depicting the missing link—the bridge-- and won first prize in it’s class.

1950---Old pump truck converted to Westbank’s first fire truck.

1950---Casa Loma consisted of three families

       ---VLA (Lakeview was just being settled,)

       ---Glenrosa –10/15 families

       ---Bear Creek –3 families

       ---The children from all of these areas attended school in Westbank.

       ---Westbank was the hub of all these areas and they all considered themselves a part of Westbank.

1951---Gorman’s Lumber and Box Company started.

1958---The Centenial year of Brithish Columbia’s history, marking the foundation of the Colony

           of Brithish Columbia, the Kelowna to Westbank bridge was officially opened by HRH Princess  

           Margaret.

1958---Lakeview Heights Community Hall dedicated.

1963—Our local Indian Band separated from the Okanagan Indian Band and took the name Westbank First    

           Nation to be in harmony with the place in which they lived, Westbank. The settlers had been using the

           name Westbank since 1902. 

1965---Pendozi Ferry returned to Westbank as the Westbank Yacht Club located in Gellatly Bay.

1965---Constable Neil Bruce was shot in Powers Creek Canyon and died from his wounds. Constable Neil

            Bruce Middle School is named in his honour.

1967---Regional District formed and divided the area into Electoral Area G—Lakeview Heights north to the north

           of West Shore Estates and Area Electoral H –Westbank, creating an official provincial split in the

           community.

1969/75-Many of the first subdivisions were started (eg.Green Bay, Sunnyside, Glenrosa, Shannon Lake).

1970---The V0H 2A0 Westbank, BC postal code which applied to all the land from the bridge to Peachland

            was divided into V1Z Kelowna, BC. and V4T Westbank BC ,further dividing the community with a

            separate delivery system, postal code, and name. From this point on, some people that moved into the

           V1Z area began identifying with Kelowna and some thought they were living in a part of Kelowna.

            Public input not allowed in this postal change.

1972---The Westbank section in the local phonebook was removed and the Westbank names, addresses and

            phone numbers were mingled with the Kelowna section. Further loss of our community identity.

            Public input was not asked for or allowed in this change.

1974---Public discussion of incorporation failed to go to referendum

1980---Referendum including Area G and Area H to determine incorporation. It was defeated by 87%.

1982---Westbank Museum officially opened.

1982---The Westbank and Lakeview Heights Fire protection Districts amalgamated in response to a growing  

            population to form the Westside Fire Protection District.

1985---Creation of the couplet—businesses wanted the traffic, residents didn’t want it. Province forced it.

            Public input not listened to.

1987---An aquatic center was built by the community of Westbank as a memorial to the Johnson and Bentley

           families who tragically lost their lives. There were heated disscusions as to where the pool would be built ,

          either at Mt. Boucherie Complex or downtown Westbank and this caused a rift between some residents in

          Area G and Area H. A referendum was held in Lakeview -Area G to determine if the taxpayers in those     

          communities would share in the ongoing costs. It was defeated. Westbank taxpayers

          bore the capital costs of the aquatic centre alone.

1990---Ongoing incorporation studies.

           Public input not allowed

1993–-A referendum was held in Westbank-area H for incorporation. It was defeated by 66 %.

1994/2009—Unprecedented growth of area—the fasted growing area in all of Canada—Smith Creek, Glen  

           Canyon, Rose Valley, Talus Ridge, Shannon Woods, Casa Loma, and many other residential areas

           developed.

2002—Area H and Area G were combined without the consent of the residents and named Westside

           Electoral Area by the Central Okanagan Regional District

           Public input not allowed.

2004—Westbank First Nation is granted Self Government Status

2006---Westbank First Nation begins mega shopping area.

2007---Referendum vote for incorporation verses amalgamation with Kelowna. Incorporation wins.

           Letters Patent state new name of municipality as “District of Westside” even though  Len  

           Novakowski, David Knowles, and Doug Findlater lobby MLA Rick Thorpe to have the name

           West Kelowna as the new name. Clearwarer and Barrier incorporated the same day our district did

            but they were allowed to do so under their historic names

            Public input not allowed.

2008---Mayor and Council established a naming committee and this was the first time the public was allowed

           input for our district name.

2008---There were no formal meetings between the district and Westbank First Nation about a possible name

           change. The 9,000 residents on WFN Lands were not allowed to give their opinion even though a name

           change would affect everyone living within the area. ( eg: two businesses in the same building—one using  

            Westbank the other West Kelowna  as addresses on WFN Land  which are staying Westbank, BC.

2008---An Opinion Vote was held and West Kelowna was choosen as the new name for our

                 municipality. Residents who voted not to change from the name District of Westside

                 were instructed by the some of the poll clerks ( who were given instructions from the Chief

                 Electoral Officer )to still choose one of the 4 names giving thus giving1299 voters a second vote.

                 The difference between the Westbank and West Kelowna vote was 166 votes.

2008---Citizens for a Historic Westbank was formed to Protect, Preserve and Promote Westbank, V4T.

2008---Dec. 09, 2008 – Citizens for a Historic Westbank met en mass at the Council meeting and

                   presented a final submission of 2876 petition signatures for Westbank

                   and 577 additional signatures collected on IR9 and IR10 just days before the December 09 

                   re-naming decision by council.       .                  

     When the decision was made on Dec. 9th, 2009 to name our new district “West Kelowna” with a capacity crowd in attendance, our Mayor and Council promised the Westbank residents that Westbank would always remain. We would not loose our identity , our history or our addresses. The 2009/10 Visitors guide clearly has ignored the Westbank name, changed the historical facts to West Kelowna history, changed adds that were Westbank BC addresses to West Kelowna without the businesses consent, and advertising states areas are 5 minutes to downtown West Kelowna.

     During the Glenrosa fire DWK news releases did not mention Westbank once.The road was closed from

Gellatly Rd to the Connector through Westbank and they still refused to use the name Westbank causing

confusion. News media announced that the fires were in Kelowna.. Kelowna’s reaction was to put out an ad

campaign stating that that Kelowna was still picture perfect. It was not logical to vote against almalgamation

with Kelowna and then turn around and take Kelowna as part of the district name. Many Westbank residents were also forced to sign their address as West Kelowna at the EEC and were told they would not receive vouchers if they used Westbank as their address. We, as a community, are watching our name, our history, and our identity disappear.

Thank you to the authors of Westbank.biz for the effort and research into this history

and for allowing us to use their format and dates for our history page.