Were it not for glacial action in the past, there would not be a Penticton. The city occupies the entirety of a deposit of glacial till which separates Okanagan Lake from Skaha Lake.
As a result Penticton has lakes and beaches at each of its north and south ends.
In the 1930s the north (Okanagan Lake) shore became the most desirable building site in the city for its lake shore location. So, during the '30s some of the city's most prestigious homes were built along Lakeshore Drive, facing the lake and the view well up the lake toward Kelowna.
In the 1930s the north (Okanagan Lake) shore became the most desirable building site in the city for its lake shore location. So, during the '30s some of the city's most prestigious homes were built along Lakeshore Drive, facing the lake and the view well up the lake toward Kelowna.
Today known as the
Warren House B&B, the onetime Warren House was built as a two storey Georgian Revival residence for J.J. Warren, President of the
Kettle Valley Railway. See the story of the
Kettle Valley Railway in Penticton. The official headquarters of the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR), it was an obvious decision that the railway's president should be domiciled in Penticton, and in a residence representative of his status in the city.
Two decades before Lakeshore Drive became the fashionable area it did, the KVR began construction on its railway in 1910, completing the Midway to Hope section in 1915. It was in 1912, not long after the railway was begun, that the Warren House was built here. Later, in order to serve the fruit industry in the far south of the Okanagan Valley, a spur line was run from Penticton to Osoyoos, at the Canada-U.S. border.
More than a century later the house still stood and was purchased by an enterprising couple in 2018. Following several months of necessary renovations and updates,
Warren House B&B opened its doors as a Bed & Breakfast to eager customers in June of 2019. Today it is an adult only facility with age restrictions of 25+ which welcomes all genders/orientations. On the B&B's two floors are 5 suites, each retaining, as much as possible, the historic charm of the building. Some of the amenities offers are free WI-FI, onsite parking & secure bike storage.
However, before all that could happen, the B&B had to get the go-ahead from the city with regard to licensing, regulatory and historical caveats, etc. The following short news article from April, 2019 covers a bit of that story.
Historic house cleared
for B&B operation
Penticton Herald Staff | Apr 3, 2019
Owners of one of the city’s oldest residences now have clearance to run the home as a bed and breakfast.
Following a public hearing Tuesday, council unanimously approved the rezoning required to run the business inside 434 Lakeshore Dr. W.
Known as Warren House, the residence was built in 1912 for J.J. Warren, president of the Kettle Valley Railway, according to its listing on the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
Local historian Randy Manuel suggested at the public hearing the rezoning should have first been sent to the city’s Heritage Committee for comment, and that the city should have sought to place a covenant or restriction on the property to ensure its historical value is preserved.
Planning manager Blake Laven said staff didn’t feel such measures were warranted because no significant alterations are planned on the property.
Council did, however, direct staff to return with a report at a later meeting in regard to what powers are granted to the city when it places a property on the local heritage registry.
From the Penticton Herald