A fundraising event, to be held May 11, will raise money for the replacement of Summerland’s iconic pier.
Party for the Pier will be hosted by the municipality of Summerland, Rotary Club of Summerland and the Summerland Kinsmen.
The event will be held at the Summerland Arena Banquet Room, 8820 Jubilee Rd. E., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.
Tickets for the event are $100, with a $50 tax receipt issued for each ticket.
The event will feature food by Darin Paterson, music by 13 Broken Bones and a silent auction.
Connie Denesiuk of the Rotary Club of Summerland said the fundraiser will help to raise money for amenities to be added to the replacement of the pier.
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“The pier is a magnet. People gravitate towards the pier,” she said.
Some of the amenities which could be added at the pier include additional benches and additional lighting.
The scope of the amenities will depend on fundraising support, she added. By the end of 2023, the service club had raised more than $100,000 for the project.
The pier at Rotary Beach in Summerland had long been a community landmark. The pier was on the same spot and followed the same footprint as the Canadian Pacific Wharf, which had been constructed in 1910 as a transportation link in Summerland.
A replacement pier had been constructed in 1999. However, it was closed to the public in November 2022 when it was found to be in poor condition. In September 2023, it was removed entirely. At the time, most of the pilings supporting the pier were rotting.
Summerland council had earmarked $300,000 of its $4.533 million Growing Communities Fund money for the pier replacement. This is in addition to the $200,000 which had been set aside by Summerland council for the removal of the old pier.
The money from the municipality will go to replacing a basic pier at the site. Money for enhancements will be raised by the service club. The extent of the enhancements will depend on the amount of money raised during fundraising initiatives.
The replacement for the pier will be constructed on the same footprint as the former pier. New pilings for the replacement were installed at the site in March.
Information on the fundraiser can be found online at partyforthepier.com.