Ground breaking for the GVCC (phot by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

By Liam Verster

GVCC Ground Breaking

Ground broken for new Greater Vernon Cultural Centre

Aug 26, 2025 | 3:38 PM

Construction of the new arts and culture centre in Vernon officially kicked off Tuesday.

A ground breaking ceremony was held for the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre (GVCC) at its future site, located at the parking lot on 31st Avenue in downtown Vernon, Aug. 26.

The ceremony saw a precession of roughly 80 arts and culture group representatives and citizens, led by the Vernon Highlander Pipe Band, walks from the Vernon Museum, around the block, and to the site.

Shovels in the dirt in front of the crowd gathered for the ground breaking for the Greater Vernon Cultural Centre (photo by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

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Syilx Elder, Virginia Gregoire, gave a blessing once everyone arrived, followed by a drum and song performance by Amber Cardenas.

A series of speeches were then held where local leaders and stakeholders applauded the start of the project that had been 18 years in the making.

“This new cultural centre will bring together the Vernon Public Art Gallery and the Greater Vernon Museum, two key community institutions housed within one vibrant regional asset they can both call home,” Dauna Kennedy, executive director of the Vernon Public Art Gallery, said.

“This facility will feature galleries, learning spaces, community rooms, and a welcoming plaza that will serve as a true gathering place for the region. More than a building, this will be a hub of creativity, learning, and connection.”

She added this will be an essential piece to the community as access to art can help foster critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and empathy for both the young and the old.

Sarah Kennedy, President of the Vernon Art Gallery, said this project wouldn’t have been possible without contributions from the community. She singled out the Galbraith Family for their continued support, and stated that, in honour of their contributions, the main gallery of the GVCC will be named after Caroline Galbraith.

Adrianna Strange, president of the Greater Vernon Museum and Archives Board of Directors, said “We’re not here because of what we will benefit from the building itself, we’re here for the legacy that it’s going to leave for future generations.

“We’re gathered here for purpose built space so that those generations have a safe and inviting location to explore, to learn, to have hard conversations, to inspire creativity, and we want to inspire them to wander and to wonder with us about Greater Vernon and why we’re here.”

Strange added the GVCC represents the committment to prioritize the long-term health of arts and culture in Greater Vernon.

Dan Wilson, Chief of the Okanagan Indian Band, thanked those who have done the work to make the GVCC project possible so far, stating this appeared to be “the year for a lot of visions coming true,” pointing to this project and to another in Penticton to allow salmon free passage back into Okanagan Lake.

Speaking on behalf fo the City of Vernon, as Mayor Victor Cumming was unable to attend the event, Councillor and Acting-Mayor Theresa Durning said “This project represents more than just bricks and mortar, it is a symbol of our community’s committment to arts, culture, and the connection.

“The Cultural Centre will be a place where creativity thrives, where stories are shared, and where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to celebrate what makes Vernon so special. We know vibrant cultural spaces are essential to a healthy and dynamic city: they enrich our lives, support local artists and organizations, and contribute to the economic and social vitality of our region.”

Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Lumby, was also unable to attend the ground breaking. Her Constituency Advisor, Amy Klassen, spoke on behalf of Sandhu and thanked all those who have put their efforts towards this project, saying it took “years of vision, collaboration, and hard work.”

A donation was also made in support of the GVCC at the ceremony.

Community Foundation North Okanagan provided a contribution of $50,000 from the Jaeger Family Fund, bringing the fundraising total for the project to over $1.7-million.

Leanna Hammond, Executive Director of Community Foundation North Okanagan, presenting AJ Jaegar (artist) and Tannis Nelson (RDNO) with the $50,000 check at the GVCC groundbreaking event

“Do you remember building the Rail Trail? We all came together, everybody gave what they could, and we ended up with an incredible asset for our area. I think we have another opportunity to do that now,” Leah Hammond, executive director of CFNO, said. She added fundraising for the GVCC was ongoing with the Together 4 Culture initiative and a CFNO fundraiser, and encouraged people to help support this project.

Following the statements, the attendees all gathered around and had a chance to put their shovels in the dirt and break ground for the GVCC.

Ground breaking for the GVCC (phot by Liam Verster / Vernon Matters)

Speaking with Vernon Matters following the event, Dauna Kennedy, one of the leaders spearheading this project for almost two decades, said she was very excited to see so many people turn up, and for the project to officially be underway after 18 years of planning.

“It shows the power of the people coming forward to make sure this project happens,” Kennedy said.

“[The GVCC] means so many thing. This centre is going to be so much beyond a museum and an art gallery; it’s going to be a place to help build the health of the community. It’s going to be that hub for people to come together, create that connection, and just have really positive experiences.”

Speaking about the facility itself, the Art Gallery representative said it will be built to suit the needs of the community and the arts and culture scene. Kennedy noted the gallery moved into its site under the parkade on what was supposed to be a temporary basis approximately 30 years ago. She said the gallery was not built with the expectation of storing pieces long term and there have been issues with the site such as leaking, all of which will be resolved with this new facility. The Museum and Archives had also previously expressed concerns with a limited space for storing artifacts and other objects, but said that would also be resolved at the GVCC.

Kennedy added this facility will not only improve Vernon’s cultural scene, but contribute to the economy.

“Arts and culture brings in so much money to the restaurants, to the hotels,” Kennedy told Vernon Matters.

“People who come for cultural events tend to stay for more than one night, and they tend to want to explore other parts of the community while they’re coming to enjoy arts and culture as well. There’s so many spinoffs.”

Bob Fleming, director for Electoral Area B in the Regional District of North Okanagan and chair of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee, said this project was a long time in the works, but was happy to see it finally get underway.

“It’s a really amazing time right now. It’s a culmination of a lot of effort, and I think a lot of them were recognized today, so it’s a great day,” Fleming told Vernon Matters following the ceremony.

He added the fundraising efforts so far had been “excellent” though noted that was ongoing to help offset the costs of the project. Fleming said they were unofficially looking to raise $2.5-million in total to support the GVCC, though that was not a set-in-stone figure.

The GVCC was expected to be open and operational in early 2028, though an exact timeline for that was not certain as of the day of the ground breaking.