R. J. Haney Heritage Park ~ Buildings ~ The Lester & Thomson Garage

Hammers are pounding and saws are singing at Haney Heritage Park this fall. Before the snow landed, the Shuswap Chapter of the Vintage Car Club was working hard in its newest project, the Lester and Thomson Car Sales building. The club is creating a space to display member's cars for park visitors.

The project is based on photographic records of an historic building. The structure, beneath many expansions and renovations, still exists. Home Hardware at 380 Alexander, is the site of the former car dealership.

The idea began with a proposal to the Salmon Arm Museum's Board of Directors. Ken Bosch drew the plans. The Museum Board approved the design in principle and the project was off. The footings were excavated in June and poured at the end of August, the walls were erected by mid October, and the roof in place by the third week in November.

When you get a crew of volunteers working full time, much is accomplished. John Pottie, a member of both Salmon Arm Museum and the Vintage Car Club, coordinated the effort. He says, jokingly, "When you have ten guys working on a project on any one day, you have ten different opinions." On top of those complications, John has to keep both the Museum's curator and the District's Building Inspector happy. No small feat.

John wishes to thank the entire crew for their help putting the structre up. "No one got hurt," John says. "That was my biggest concern."

The Vintage Car Club meets on the third Thursday of each month, at the new Seniors' Activity Center in Salmon Arm. For further details, contact President Barry Swenson at 250-836-4530