Kootenay School of the Arts - Nelson, BC
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 29.492 W 117° 17.500
11U E 478877 N 5482140
From jail to school of the arts, with sojourns as office, warehouse, and electrical substation in between - that's quite a journey for an old stone building.
Waymark Code: WMKDC3
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 03/24/2014
Views: 4
Located at 606 Victoria Street, the built was constructed in 1897 as the city of Nelson's first jail and also became its first stone building. The choice of stone was a natural for a jail and doubtless contributed to its longevity.
In about 1995 most of the building was occupied by the Kootenay School of the Arts, now one of the many campuses of Selkirk College. In October of 1996, after many months of restoration and renovations, the school was officially opened by The Honourable Corky Evans, MLA for Nelson-Creston and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
Corky Evans, born in Berkeley, California in 1948 moved to British Columbia in 1969 and spent several years labouring as a stevedore, logger, tree-planter, heavy-equipment operator, first-aid attendant, and highways surveyor before entering politics. Joining the BC NDP party, on his second attempt he was successful in becoming elected as MLA of the riding of Nelson-Creston in the 1991 provincial election.
Evans became, first, Minister of Transportation and Highways, then Minister of Agriculture when he was re-elected in 1996. In 2000, Evans left his previous portfolios to become Minister of Health and Minister Responsible for Seniors. After being defeated in the 2001 election, he won the riding again in 2005. He left politics when he decided not to run in the 2009 election.
The Kootenay School of the Arts is a small, non degree school which teaches various arts to those either wishing to become professionals or those simply interested in furthering their hobbies. Disciplines taught include drawing, painting, writing, mixed media arts, pottery, metal working, wood working and jewellery making.
Text of the plaque:
KOOTENAY SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
CENTRE OF CRAFT AND DESIGN COOPERATIVE
OFFICIALLY OPENED BY
THE HONOURABLE CORKY EVANS
MLA NELSON-CRESTON AND
MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES
PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
OCTOBER 1996
MEMBERS. OF THE KSA ROUND TABLE 1995/96
JAMES ALLEN IAN JOHNSTON
CHRIS BROWN ALAN RAMSDEN
JUDY BROWN VERNA RELKOFF
BETTY DANIEL HELEN STEVENSON
DAVID ELLIOTT FRANCES WELWOOD
BRUCE HUNTER
DAVID LAWSON - DIRECTOR
MARGARET CHRUMKA REGISTRAR
MEMBERS OF THE BUILDING COMMITTEE
MARIANNE BOND ALAN RAMSDEN
BERNI EIGELSHOVEN BERNIE SWENDSON
STUDIO HEADS
COURTNEY ANDERSEN-MIXED MEDIA MAGGIE TCHIR-FIBRE
MICHAEL FORTUNE-WOOD PRODUCTS DESIGN TOM LYNN-METAL
GARRY GRAHAM-CLAY TOM WAYMAN-WRITING
JACK LEYLAND-JEWELLERY
PRIME CONSULTANT CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS
FAIRBANK ARCHITECTS LTD. UNITECH CONSTRUCTION
MANAGEMENT LTD.