Kara Burton, manager of the Osoyoos Museum, stands beside the new interpretive sign erected outside town hall a couple of weeks ago. Five of these informative signs, which provide detailed information and photos about historic landmarks, have been erected and the museum hopes to add several more when funding becomes available. (Keith Lacey photo)
The Town of Osoyoos has a long and proud history and the Osoyoos Museum Society does a wonderful job fulfilling its mandate to preserve a detailed historical record of our wonderful community.
The museum’s new interpretive sign project is a great way to detail the impressive history of our community and is sure to attract all kinds of interest from the tens of thousands of tourists who flock to our little piece of paradise every year.
Over the past couple of weeks, the museum have unveiled five informative and attractive “interpretive signs” that provide information and photos about several important historical landmarks in our community.
While many longtime residents probably know that the Town of Osoyoos was incorporated as a village in 1946 and officially became a town back in 1980, many don’t know that the original settlers came to this neck of the woods more than 150 years ago.
The five sites where interpretive signs have been installed over the past couple of weeks include outside town hall, outside the Osoyoos Art Gallery, outside the Sonora Community Centre, one near the bridge that separates the north and south side of Osoyoos Lake and one outside Haynes House on Lakeshore Drive.
A sixth sign will be erected in Gyro Park when the multi-purpose plaza is completed later this summer.
The information on each sign provides a detailed description of the site and photos from years gone by, but also provides information most locals don’t know anything about.
The original plan was to install 10 to 12 interpretive signs in town and that remains the goal, however, more funds will have to be raised in the next year or so to complete the project, said museum manager Kara Burton.
The museum is planning another series of community tours this coming summer and fall and tour guides will be incorporating four of the interpretive signs into the tour.
This is going to be a great attraction this summer and for many years to come.
Funding for the project’s first phase was provided by town council and matching funding from the province’s Heritage Legacy fund.
This is money very well spent.
The signs look great and provide an impressive historical documentation of the wonderful history of one of Canada’s most scenic and beautiful small towns.
Congratulations to the Osoyoos Museum on a job well done.
