Octagon for December

Friends of Fintry Provincial Park

The Octagon – December, 2018

This is the time of year that we look back on all that we have accomplished in the past months, our successes,  things that need to be improved upon and the setting of new goals for the coming year.  Even although the Manor House has gone into “hibernation” The Friends of Fintry Board continues to plan for the coming year and to make this little gem in the history of the Okanagan, a destination not to be missed. We are excited that BC Parks is extending the campground, thus enabling more visitors to the area, as quite often in the summer months the campground would be completely full.

We held our Volunteer Appreciation night last month at Okanagan Spirits and it was wonderful to see so many Friends, old and new and discuss all things Fintry. We thank Kim Stinson from Stinson Events Catering for putting on an amazing spread of appies and also Okanagan Spirits for supplying the venue. I think a good time was had by all.

And now, some notes from our Curator, Dan Bruce:

Taylor’s Antiques on  Powick Road in Kelowna continues to be a source of interesting additions to our collections at Fintry.  Over the last few years, some thirty items have been installed in the Manor House, the latest being an entertaining print by Cecil Aldin.  The picture is a hunt scene, perhaps best described as “confusion in the kale patch” where a pack of hounds have become somewhat scattered in a lush field of kale. Dogs and riders everywhere, while a hare, (not a fox), exits stage right.

 Cecil Aldin, 1870 – 1935, was a very well-known artist with an interest in dogs, horses and wildlife in general.  He was much involved in the fox-hunting scene, and in 1910, was Master of the South Berkshire Hunt.  Interestingly, at Fintry we have two of his prints that are autographed. These are a part of the small percentage of original furnishings, and it is possible that James Dun-Waters acquired these from Aldin himself, it being a safe bet that they would have known each other.    

Aldin’s work was not limited to animals however. His art was frequently published in “The Graphic” and “The Illustrated London News”    He was much applauded for his depictions of women involved in agriculture as a vital part of the war effort in Britain.

 The Manor House has been the focus of a very extensive programme of repair, upgrades and renovations, carried out by BC Parks.  We are in process of installing a bronze plaque recording our appreciation of the work done, the commitment to preserving Fintry’s history, and the ongoing partnership between BC Parks and The Friends of Fintry.

 Those visiting Fintry recently will have seen a long bank of topsoil in the hay-field just to the east of the entry drive.  I have been asked about this, and I explained to one inquirer that a young Ogopogo had died, and the family wanted a “straight-out” burial, so what you see is the mound over the grave.  This was met with some disbelief, so I made another suggestion, that BC Parks are extending the campsite facilities in that area, and when all is complete, the long mound will be smoothed over.  (Could be some truth to that one).

We are also investigating ways to improve the road signage situation at the bottom of Fintry Delta Road, where the entry to the Park is. This signage muddle has been a problem for visitors and residents of the delta for some considerable time. Hopefully we can get something less confusing and more welcoming in place.

In closing, I would like to wish you the very best of the season and hope that you manage to visit Fintry sometime during the coming year.

 

 

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