File photo courtesy of the O'Keefe Ranch

By Liam Verster

Future Unclear

Organizers want to remain appraised of O’Keefe Ranch’s future

Jan 14, 2026 | 3:24 PM

The volunteers and society that run the O’Keefe Ranch want to remain in the know about the future of the historic site.

The O’Keefe Ranch is entirely run by volunteers, the majority of whom are retired seniors, and has faced a number of financial troubles since the COVID-19 pandemic. Its lease with the City of Vernon will also come to an end in 2027.

With this in mind, Douglas MacGregor, President of the O’Keefe Ranch and Interior Heritage Society, presented a delegation at the regular council meeting Monday where he asked the City of Vernon keep them appraised as to what the future had in store for the site.

“One of the things we’d like to know, is what is our future ? What is your plans for the future of the ranch? And what are we doing, should we keep on helping if it’s going to be shuttered, if it’s going to be sold off?” MacGregor asked during the meeting on Jan. 12.

“It’s a very important part because we need to have these answers.

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“We’re asking this not just for the ranch volunteers but we’re asking that on behalf of the citizens of Greater Vernon, because no one knows what’s going to happen to the ranch.”

MacGregor also stated that having this uncertain future made it difficult to go out in search of grant funding, as the sources of the outside money need to know how it would be spent and if it would be a suitable investment. The same applied to running fundraisers, garnering community support, and bringing in new volunteers.

The Interior Heritage Society asked that the city come to them with a plan for the site’s future, and Vernon City Council accepted the delegation for information, and the matter would be brought before council in the future as a formal request.

The city has an agreement in place to provide annual funding annually to the ranch, though more funding is usually provided each year to help cover insurance and other costs.