Vintage luxury life
The year was 1957: Canada’s economy is booming, new homes are being built everywhere, and Kelowna’s population is only 10,000.
However, the city of Central Okanagan is about to change and is about to enter a phase of growth.
The floating bridge is nearing completion and will bring more development and growth to the valley as it will make it much easier to cross the lake.
The completion of the Trans-Canada Highway through Roger’s Pass in 1962 will further accelerate growth.
Kelowna is expanding north and east as more and more people flock to the area.
Vernon-based historian and videographer Francois Arseneault found footage of life in Kelowna in the 1950s.
The black and white footage shows a couple traveling to a new home that was ultra-modern at the time and now has a certain peculiarity.
There’s an opaque glass partition at the main entrance, a massive brick fireplace – almost a holdover from pre-war houses – a thoroughly modern kitchen that’s built into large cupboards with sliding doors in the bedroom, natural gas heating and water tank in the unfinished basement as well a carport.
“Today, if anyone can identify and its location, this house is probably much closer to the city center than the outskirts. Probably a commercial of the day produced for Charles D Jade Real Estate, ”said Arseneault.
And how much did a new home cost in Canada in the 1950s? Between $ 22,000 and $ 30,000.
You can find more historical videos on Arseneault’s Youtube page.
Anyone with old 16mm or 8mm footage from the Vernon and Okanagan area can email Arseneault [email protected].
