Columbia Valley Arts Council
 
The Columbia Valley Arts Council is dedicated to fostering the growth,
awareness, and appreciation of the arts in the Columbia Valley.
Columbia
Valley Arts
Pynelogs Cultural
Centre is t he primary cultural venue in Invermere and Lake Windermere
area. This historical edifice also serves as the office for the Columbia
Valley Arts Council (CVArts). This
log facility is used as an art gallery throughout the year and the
building also serves as the primary venue for a variety of arts related
workshops. A gift shop
featuring the works of local artists and artisans operates throughout most
of the year. A very popular public indoor/outdoor Cafe operates for about
half the year CVArts also
sponsors and hosts a number of musical, dramatic and comedy concerts
throughout the year at Pynelogs as well as at other area venues.
The building was built in
1914 by Robert Randolph Bruce, a Scottish land developer. Randolph Bruce
was the first major agricultural developer in the Windermere valley at the
beginning of the 20th century and his enterprise, the Columbia Valley
Fruit Lands Company, brought over many of the early valley settlers from
the United Kingdom. He later
became the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and built Pynelogs for
his English bride, Lady Elizabeth Bruce. Lady Bruce died shortly after her
arrival in the Columbia Valley
and is buried on the property. Her grave is impressively designated by a
plaque and a monument located under a small gazebo.
Randolph Bruce bequeathed Pynelogs to the District of Invermere in
the 1930’s.
Pynelogs is located in a
truly unique setting. This impressive historical log building is situated
in a lush park on the edge of Lake Windermere in Invermere. The main
entrance, at the rear of the building is adjacent to a large pond, Dorothy
Lake, which features a fountain shooting water 60-70 feet into the air.
The grounds contain a Botanical Heritage garden featuring “old
fashioned” vegetables and flowers from the era of the late 19th and
early 20th centuries. In addition, the District plants beautiful annual
gardens and looks after the landscaping of the grounds.
The community Greenway’s Trail commences at Pynelogs.
The
Pynelogs building is 92 years old and has undergone a number of internal
modifications through its history as a private residence, hospital, group
home, and its current function as the regional centre for arts and
culture. Pynelogs is a truly
unique facility and a heritage site for the residents of the DOI and the
Upper Columbia Valley. Its historic significance in the development of
this area and its place in the history of British Columbia warrant
maintaining this legacy in an appropriate manner. Accordingly CV Arts and
the District of Invermere spent
over $530,000 on a major
restoration and renovation in 2004-05 to ensure the longevity of this
community treasure. Pynelogs is now essentially a 21st building
inside a Victoria shell.
Located by Kinsmen Beach, Invermere
(250) 342-4423
Gallery Hours: 11 am - 4 pm
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