New director Bernard Penner (left) and acting president Fred Wiley of the Fairview Heritage Townsite Society visit the site on Fairview Road, where history still waits to be preserved. The society is trying to recruit more volunteers to help in this regard. (Lyonel Doherty photo)
The Fairview Heritage Townsite Society remains alive and well and committed to preserving the heritage and ecological nature of the area, “which is essentially the historical birth site of the Town of Oliver.”
When Fred Wiley headed to the annual general meeting of the society two weeks ago at the Oliver Community Centre, it was his belief the main topic of discussion would be to vote on a motion to dissolve the society.
However, it quickly became clear amongst board members and the 13 people in attendance, with Wiley leading the charge, that the society had done too much good work over many years and should try and recruit new members.
“I basically changed my mind,” said Wiley. “I new there would be a motion on the table to vote for disbanding the society, but I had changed my mind and it was agreed we would not only carry on, but would try and get new members on board with various talents.”
The biggest issue that had to be resolved was “misinformation being shared about the governing body … that made the society look bad,” said Wiley.
The provincial government had issued a 30-year lead to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) and the townsite society had signed a sub-lease with the RDOS to manage the 88-acre property, said Wiley.
The province’s 30-year lease expires in February of 2017 and the society was having difficulties ensuring it could get another sub-lease, which left board members “in an impossible situation.”
The society would like the RDOS to renew its sub-lease with the society for another 10 years, said Wiley.
With almost all members of the board and society members in their 80s, many thought it best to dissolve the society, however, that changed following last Monday’s meeting, said Wiley.
“There was basically a change in attitude and we changed our mind and said, ‘let’s do this.’”
“We had done so much good work over the years and we didn’t want to throw it all away.”
The Fairview Mountain site began when two mine prospectors named Fred Gwatkins and George Sheehan staked a claim back in 1887, said Wiley.
Very soon, more prospectors arrived and other stakes were claimed and the population continued to grow for a decade, when a proper townsite was developed, he said.
Numerous amenities were built, including a general store, saloon, butcher shop, livery and government building.
At its peak around the turn of the 20th Century, the population of the Fairview Mountain townsite had reached close to 5,000 and there were five operating mines, said Wiley.
The view from the Fairview Mountain site is simply spectacular.
“You can see all the way to Osoyoos, up to Mount Baldy and most of the South Okanagan Valley,” he said. “It’s an incredible place with amazing ecology and it deserves to be protected and free from major development.”
If the area isn’t protected, developers would move in quickly, said Wiley.
“The lots up there would sell for huge dollars,” he said. “This site has too much history and too much heritage to be allowed to be destroyed by major development.”
The Town of Oliver wouldn’t exist today if it wasn’t for the success of the Fairview Mountain mining camp 120 years ago, said Wiley.
“That place means a lot to me and a lot of other people from this valley,” he said. “It’s so important that we retain and maintain its heritage and history. When a place like this is gone, it’s gone forever.”
The society supports the building of a 40-room hotel or country inn in an attempt to attract more tourists and have had preliminary contact with an architect in this regards, said Wiley.
The society is also discussing using bar codes on various trails, benches and buildings to provide information to tourists who visit the site, said Wiley.
A guest book has been signed by literally thousands of visitors and clearly shows that tourists from across Canada and around the world have taken the time to visit the Fairview Mountain site, said Wiley.
Jessica Murphy, who has been living in a house at the Fairview Mountain site since 1973, said she’s pleased the society is not dissolving and will continue its efforts to protect the site.
“This place was the beginning of Camp McKinney and Fairview Mountain mine site. Eventually, people started to cross the river and that’s how the Town of Oliver got started,” said Murphy. “The history of this place should not be lost.”
Wiley said he hopes the publicity generated from deciding to keep the society active will result in new and younger members stepping forward when their next meeting is held sometime in the next few weeks.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
