A plan to recognize Penticton’s oldest and most iconic properties with heritage plaques was approved by council on Tuesday, Aug. 16, but not without some concerns.
The two-step “Made Right Here” project, which hopes to install at least 40 heritage plaques city-wide with a “classic design and unique colour scheme,” got the green light at council’s regular meeting more than 10 months after the plan was launched.
Led by the Penticton museum curator Dennis Oomen who says that out of the estimated $8,100 required to make the project a reality, a total of $2,000 has already been provided thanks to a grant from Heritage BC.
The remaining $6,100 has been penned as the installation cost, a price point the city is now responsible for.
“We’re being asked to fund $6,000 to screw plaques on a wall,” Coun. Katie Robinson said after Oomen’s presentation to council. “When I first saw that, I was shocked.”
Robinson’s concerns with the cost of installation sparked a prolonged discussion between her fellow councillors and city staff, with those in support of the project adding that nothing is entirely set in stone.
“This is just a rough cost for the installation and to be honest, I think there is some benefit to potentially having the individual property owners do it themselves,” said Kristen Dixon, the city’s general manager of infrastructure. “We can certainly sort out those finer details.”
Robinson, who even volunteered to help with the installation herself so the city can save on contracting, added that heritage property owners would be particular about the location in which the plaques are placed.
Of the 55 Penticton properties listed on the heritage register, not all buildings will be eligible for a plaque, Ooomen said. Ongoing maintenance costs are expected to be covered by the museum.
“The information on the plaque will give a brief history of the property and a description of its unique architectural and aesthetic properties,” he added.
After city staff committed to making sure plaque installation costs were minimized, Robinson and the rest of council unanimously approved the project.
Coun. James Miller was recused.
READ MORE: Penticton’s heritage on display