VERNON – Brigadier Murphy Armoury has seen over a hundred years of Vernon history. Now the Department of National Defence (DND) is looking at its future, leaving some people to worry the building may be at risk of demolition.
“The Department of National Defence is currently examining the Canadian Armed Forces’ future requirements for the Murphy Armoury in Vernon, B.C.,” said a department spokesperson in an emailed statement.
DND says right now it is not planning to demolish the armoury. It’s a recognized federal heritage building. That status means demolition is a last resort and federal officials are required to try and find other uses for the building if it’s no longer needed.
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There are also efforts to get the building a stronger heritage status locally.
“We are working on a letter to the City of Vernon, through the planning department, to ask for heritage designation for that building,” said Dan Stuart, who chairs the board of directors for the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
The armoury is currently on the city’s Heritage Register but some would like to see the city make it a designated heritage site to provide more protection against demolition.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful building and it would be a real tragedy to lose it to the wreckers ball, or for it to be simply ignored or forgotten and left to rot,” says Francois Arseneault, a volunteer with the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
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