Canadian National Railway Station
DESCRIPTION OF HISTORIC PLACE
The Canadian National Railway (CNR) station in Kelowna, British Columbia was built in 1926. It is a picturesque single storey wooden station with eyebrow gables on its roof, both town and trackside . Today it stands in an open parklike setting off Ellis St. in the northwest part of town where its former yards stretched to Lake Okanagan.
HERITAGE VALUE
The Kelowna station has been designated a heritage railway station for its historical, architectural and environmental significance.
The Canadian National Railway (CNR) station in Kelowna was one of the first stations constructed by the company in British Columbia. Its importance is reflected in its generous scale, substantial materials and sophisticated design. This station was built in 1926 when the CNR built its branch line to the Okanagan Valley. Appearance of the railway both stimulated the local economy and shifted the city's industrial district away from the waterfront to cluster near the rail yards. This station was once surrounded by gardens, and it retains much of its environmental integrity today.
The heritage value of the Kelowna station is defined on the exterior by its overall massing and the decorative features of the elevations. On the interior it is defined by the original fabric and layout evident in some rooms and by the contextual relationship between the station and its immediate setting.
From Historic Places Canada