1

Earliest photograph of Bethel Presbyterian Church
Circa 1914-1920
Bethel Presbyterian Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Kelowna Public Archives #5606
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

2

Known as the Bethel Presbyterian Church for 42 years, the congregation joined the newly formed United Church of Canada in 1925. The name of the church was changed to Benvoulin United Church. With a shifting population, the church fell on hard times and the building structure was increasingly in need of repairs. It closed its doors as a church in 1964 and operated as a youth center until about 1976. At the time, the building was deemed to be in too poor a condition to be used by the public. The Manse at the back of the church had burned down in the late 1960s, adding to a look of neglect at the site.

3

Benvoulin United Church in poor condition after it was closed
circa early 1980s
Benvoulin United Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

4

Manse behind the Bethel Presbyterian Church/Benvoulin United Church
Circa 1950s-60s
Benvoulin United Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Johnson Family Collection (Jeff, John, Henry Johnson)

5

By 1981, the Church's poor condition had culminated in the Kelowna Fire Marshall's request to use the church building for fire practice. The threat to a number of important historic buildings, including the Benvoulin United Church and the Guisachan House in the late 1970s and early 1980s, was the impetus needed to catch the interest of Dr. Walter Anderson. He and other concerned citizens saw the need to preserve Kelowna's built heritage before it was all gone.

In November 1981 the following people met with Dr. Anderson: Frank Pells, Tilman Nahm, Gordon Hartley, Redina Hamilton, Ursula Surtees, Nancy Bellam, Kim McBride, John Shinnick and Cynthia Ellis. On behalf of the group, Dr. Anderson began negotiations with the Kamloops Presbytery of the United Church with a plan to save the church building.

6

Hunting party in front of Guisachan House
Circa 1890s- early 1900s
Guisachan Ranch, Okanagan Mission, British Columbia

Credits:
Kelowna Public Archives #3121

7

Guisachan House in poor condition prior to restoration
Circa 1980s
Kelowna, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

8

A public meeting was held in January 1982 and the Central Okanagan Heritage Society (COHS) was formed, with Cynthia Ellis (Hunter), elected as the first president. The mandate of the Society was (and remains) to promote and participate in the preservation and restoration of structural, natural, cultural, and horticultural heritage within the Central Okanagan region. The society put together a ten-year plan to restore the church. The plan was accepted and the COHS was given a one-year lease to get the project started.

Central Okanagan Heritage Society's first Executive from 1982-1986: Dr. W. Anderson, Mrs. N. Ballam, Dr. D. Clarke, Mrs. C. Ellis, Mr. N. Frost , Mr. R. Gore, Mrs. F. Murray, Mr. G. Hartley, Mr. R. Hobson, Mrs. K. McBride, Mrs. P. Moir, Mrs. R. Hamilton, Mr. T. Nahm. Mr. A. R. Pollard, Mr. A. Purll, Mrs. J. Suggitt, Mrs. R. Whitehead

9

Dr. Walter Anderson, Russ Trumi and Dick Hall checking out the Benvoulin Church
Circa 1982
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

10

The Society's first project was the restoration of the 1892 Bethel Presbyterian Church. Community meetings were held in Kelowna to gain support for the project. The Benvoulin property, known as Benvoulin United Church, was owned by the United Church of Canada, which was represented by the Kamloops Okanagan Presbytery. When the Heritage Society approached the group about possibly restoring the church building, negotiations were handled by Presbytery officer Reverend Sid Rowles. The first agreement reached was to rent the building for one-year to enable a feasibility study to be done. Next steps included a 20-year lease with the possibility of COHS purchasing the property.

In September 1982, the keys were ceremoniously handed over to the society at a meeting in the church and the lease was signed. The restoration of the then 90 year old church was able to proceed and the survival of the building was now possible.

11

Myrtie Reid at pulpit during the signing of the lease for the Benvoulin Church
September 1982
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

12

"Public education and awareness of our heritage brings about discriminating preservation of local buildings so that all our visible past is not lost, through lack of interest to the wreckers' ball or decay."

(COHS president Cynthia Ellis at key ceremony)

13

Signing the lease for the Benvoulin Church
September 1982
Benvoulin Heritage Church, Benvoulin, British Columbia

Credits:
Central Okanagan Heritage Society Fonds

14

Once the newly formed Heritage Society had a one-year lease in hand, the planning and fundraising for the restoration of the church began.

Robert Hobson recalled in a 2011 interview that during the initial walk through of the building with Walter Anderson and Bill Knowles, the church was in very poor condition. There was a hole in the floor and the floor boards were sagging due to the building's rotting foundation. The building itself was sinking. According to Robert Hobson, the building's deterioration was accelerated due to Benvoulin Road being prone to flooding. This was made even more extreme, when the road was raised, causing additional water to sit around and under the church's foundations.