When built by the Government of British Columbia in 1923, this building started life as the
South Okanagan Lands Project office.
Initially part of the Water Rights Branch of the British Columbia Department of Lands, the
Southern Okanagan Lands Project was established in 1918 following the passage of the Soldiers Land Act. The Act allowed the provincial government to purchase 22,000 acres of land from the Southern Okanagan Land Company for use as a soldier settlement project for soldiers returning from The Great War. The settlement scheme included the establishment of the townsite of Oliver, the subdivision and subsequent sale or lease of lots in the region, and the construction of an irrigation system based on the Okanagan River Canal. Initial construction of the irrigation system was completed between 1918 and 1927.
At some point after completion of the project the building was taken over by the Town of Oliver to become its Municipal Hall, in which capacity it remains today.
Near the south corner of the hall is a plaque which dates the building to 1923.
This Memorial Rose Garden was completed
in July 2000, as part of a Community initiated
Millennium Project. A list of the project
donors is kept in the historic Municipal Hall.
This building was constructed by the
BC Government as the South Okanagan
Land Project Office in 1923.
Oliver, British Columbia
The Town of Oliver is named after “Honest” John Oliver, who became the 19th Premier of British Columbia following the death of his predecessor in 1918 and held the position of Premier until his own death in 1927. During his term in office, he was instrumental in developing the original fruit growing industry in the South Okanagan Valley, centered in what later became our community, and which adopted the Premier Oliver’s name as its own.
The core of Oliver was incorporated as a Village municipality in December 1945. After decades of modest growth and expansion, Oliver was re-incorporated as a Town in 1990. Oliver’s estimated municipal population (in 2009) is 4,783. Along with its surrounding rural area (administered by the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen) the community of Oliver comprises a total trading area of approximately 9,000 people.
The Town of Oliver delivers a full range of municipal services to its residents including land use planning, public works. solid waste collection, cemetery, bylaw services and business licensing. Oliver staff also provides fire protection services and water supply to most rural residents as well as to properties inside Oliver. In addition, Oliver partners financially with the Regional District to provide parks and recreation services, heritage conservation and landfill operations to residents both inside Oliver and in the surrounding rural areas.
From the Town of Oliver
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