[BCMA] Ships Log - News from the SS Sicamous (Penticton) ⚓

Mon Nov 21 12:33:04 PST 2016

S. S. Sicamous Heritage Society
Working together to protect the Marine Heritage of the Okanagan
Dear Reader,
Thank you for supporting the SS Sicamous Society. We have had a busy year, and would like to share some of the news with you! Here are some of the activities to date:

Installing an Elevator –  Guests with wheel chairs can now access the second level of the ship. This is a project that the Sicamous Society has been talking about for many, many years. We are so proud to finally see it complete. The project was made possible thanks to partial funding from the Government of Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund, and the Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust .

Volunteers building the foundation for the elevator

The New Exterior Elevator :)
The Christmas Market - This was a wonderful event, with well over a thousand visitors this weekend. We had lots of first time visitors to the ship, and many many comments about the fantastic job that our volunteers have been doing restoring the ship. Here is a short news clip from the event, featuring an interview with Market organizer Laurel Burnham.
http://SSSicamous.us3.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=cab7f45f5bc8bc561fe8dc405&id=1d0fa30f47&e=a7d01484eb
News from the SS Sicamous - An interview with market organizer Laurel Burnham
Kettle Valley Railway Model
Matt has been working on a security system to deter visitors from reaching into the display area. We expect the security to  result in fewer call-outs to Model Railway Club Volunteers (who then need to put the train back on the track) .There will also be some big changes to the model this winter. A mountain is being torn out to open up the tracks, and create more interest for visitors. Works to the model railway are funded entirely by donations from visitors.
Gift Shop Changes  - An estimated 50 volunteer hours of labour have been spent building new shelves and drawers, gates at either end to partition the gift shop off as a separate area, and a new sign. These changes mark the area specifically as a gift shop and secure the products. The new layout looks attractive and catches the eye as you  enter the ship. We have already seen an increase in sales since it was changed, and hope to continue that trend. It is also easier to look after as the Greeters can now re-fill display items without leaving the shopping area. Another improvement is the new brochure holders. They allow us to support local businesses and historic sites by encouraging visitors  to check them out.

The Crew of CN Tug #6 had some excitement when a generator was airlifted across by helicopter. The generator has been hooked up and electric lights are now running for the first time. The engine has been drained and cleaned, and new oil purchased thanks to a grant from the RDOS. The Tug has been winterized now, and the crew will get back to work in early spring. We also received a surprise visit from two former crew members this summer who sat down and let us interview them about their experiences.
Onboard the Sicamous, Don has been busy with leaf blowing, pressure washing the decks, spider web removal and general fall cleanup. You may also have seen him in the paddle wheel, pressure washing and pigeon proofing the wheel. The area under the stairs (on the cargo deck) is being sealed and insulated to keep rain and cold from penetrating. This should cut down on the heating expense and deter future rain damage issues. On B deck additional shelves have been added in storage rooms and with some rearranging we can now store rental chairs out of the public area. We have work planned for the displays over the winter, so stay tuned.
Weddings —We hosted 16 wedding receptions in 2016, and already have 19 booked for 2017. We are streamlining our rental process,  by being clear with instructions, hiring security, rearranging the areas available for rentals and roping off other areas). We have learned a lot and look forward to having positive results with the coming events for 2017. Funds from weddings go directly back to the restoration, to help improve and protect the ship.
Jessie has worked with the summer students to put on paper the steps involved in holding events such as the Easter egg hunt, Father's Day Pirate Festival, and High Tea. Appropriate props are being added as time and money allow, a process list is made, and a discussion of what worked well took place after each event. Hopes are high for the coming season.

See more photos on the SS Sicamous Weddings Website (http://SSSicamous.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=cab7f45f5bc8bc561fe8dc405&id=021d0bf896&e=a7d01484eb)
Progress on the Okanagan Stern Salon The SS Okanagan Salon is a funny little structure, and not everyone knows its story, so we thought we would take the opportunity today to share it with you.  The SS Okanagan was once a sternwheeler, just like the SS Sicamous but not quite as lucky. When the SS Okanagan was retired, the ship was torn apart and used for scrap. The structure we have today was used as a beach hut for many years in Vernon, before being  rescued by the SS Sicamous Society in 1991.Work on the SS Okanagan Stern Saloon is almost complete thanks to funding from the Penticton Oktoberfest Society (who have given over $13,000 in donations since 2015). Work to date includes the laying of the floor, installation of support posts, and interior ceiling done. All inside is painted and looking great. Outside, the deck ceiling has been completed and painted. Matt is working at re-upholstering chairs for use inside. Approximately 900 man hours of labour have been contributed
so far to get the job done - mostly by volunteers. This works out to an approximate equivalent of $ 22,500 not counting the value of contributed goods and supplies.
Volunteer Gord Paints the roof of the Stern Saloon.
A huge thank you for all of our supporters over the past year.

Sincerely, The Crew of the S.S.Sicamous

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 Just a quick email to the other museums and societies in BC. Thanks for reading! :)

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SS Sicamous Heritage Park
1099 Lakeshore Drive West
Penticton, Bc V2A 1B7
Canada
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