The Vernon Cultural Centre is closer to becoming a reality. The downtown building will be the new home of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, The Greater Vernon Museum and Archives.
The new building will also have a community space that will host performances for all to enjoy.
It will be built on what is now a parking lot tucked between 31 and 30 streets, becoming a cultural hub in the heart of Vernon’s downtown core.
Dauna Kennedy, the executive director of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, has been working with the Regional District of the North Okanagan, the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives the Vernon Association and the Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce to bring the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre to life, and now the team is preparing to raise funds to make the dream a reality.
“Residents of Coldstream, Vernon and Areas B and C voted in 2018 to borrow up to $25 M for the Cultural Centre, and the next step towards the centre,” states a press release about the project.
“The Regional District of North Okanagan is also seeking senior government funding for the $39.5 M facility.”
A two-year fundraising campaign will be launched in September, called Together4Culture, to raise $5M for the centre.
While the fundraising team speeds to reach their financial goal, cars will be able to park on the future cultural hub in Vernon.