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Wharf and Marine Park

750 Marine Park Drive NE, Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada

Formally Recognized: 2013/05/27

750 Marine Park Drive NE, Salmon Arm; City of Salmon Arm 2012
View northwest toward wharf, 2012
750 Marine Park Drive NE; City of Salmon Arm 2012
View southeast towards park and gazebo, 2012
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Other Name(s)

n/a

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

1907/01/01

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2014/04/27

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

Wharf and Marine Park is comprised of two properties encompassing a community park, and a wharf and marina that extend into the Salmon Arm Bay of Shuswap Lake. The wharf and park are located at the end of Marine Park Drive north of the railway tracks near the downtown area of Salmon Arm, British Columbia. The historic place encompasses the park, wharf, marina, breakwater and the various buildings and structures.

Heritage Value

Wharf and Marine Park, which dates back to the construction of the first government wharf in 1907, is valued for its historic, social, cultural, scientific and aesthetic significance within the community, particularly as one of the iconic features of Salmon Arm and its historic and enduring use as a place for community members to come together to celebrate various annual events and momentous occasions.

Wharf and Marine Park is important for its proximity the downtown area and the railway, and it is believed that during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway, crews were supplied by sternwheelers in the general area where the wharf sits today. The original government wharf was valued by community members during Salmon Arm's early history as a symbol of continued growth and development. The Enderby Progress newspaper reported in 1907 that citizens were pleased to see that construction of the wharf would be going ahead, and its construction was seen as an important component of what it would take to promote continued expansion and growth of the town. The wharf may have opened up additional opportunities for water transportation to and from other communities in the area.

750 Marine Park Drive NE contains the Brighouse Nature Centre, operated by the Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society (SABNES). The Centre is significant for the role it plays in increasing the community's awareness and knowledge of the natural environment within the Salmon Arm Bay. The adjacency of the parklands to the Salmon Arm Bay provides visitors with an opportunity to view the wildlife and experience the natural processes that have been occurring in the bay long before Salmon Arm was settled.

The park to the south of the wharf is significant as the site of cultural and social events and recreational activities. Historically, the surrounding lands were used for various sports, including tennis played on grass courts, cricket, golf, badminton and lawn bowling. The special events that have been held on the Wharf and Marine Park, such as the Children's Festival on Canada Day, the Twilight Market, the Shuswap Dragon Boat Festival, the Salmon Arm Centennial celebrations and Wednesdays on the Wharf, add to the historic place's importance to the community.

The gazebo is significant because it was originally from the 1986 World Exposition on Transportation and Communication (Expo 86) held in Vancouver, British Columbia, and was purchased by the City (District at that time) for the park. The gazebo, gardens and mature trees add to the aesthetic value of Wharf and Marine Park.

Source: City Hall, City of Salmon Arm

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the heritage character of Wharf and Marine Park include its:
Site:
-location near the downtown and the railway
-use for various sports activities
-use by the community as a park and as a place for social and cultural events
-variety of species of mature trees
-landscaping and gardens
Building:
-use of Brighouse Nature Centre for public education and awareness of Salmon Arm Bay
-gazebo from Expo 86
-wharf

Recognition

Jurisdiction

British Columbia

Recognition Authority

Local Governments (BC)

Recognition Statute

Local Government Act, s.954

Recognition Type

Community Heritage Register

Recognition Date

2013/05/27

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1986/01/01 to 1986/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Expressing Intellectual and Cultural Life
Sports and Leisure

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Leisure
Park
Transport-Water
Landing Point

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

City Hall, City of Salmon Arm

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

EeQt-49

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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