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Beloved scrolls will light up Penticton again

The Christmas scroll lights will be located at Power Street and Lakeshore Drive
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This is a rendering of what the new lighted scrolls will look like at Power and Lakeshore Drive. (Submitted)

The Christmas season just got a little brighter in Penticton.

The historic scroll lights will light up the streets during winter once again.

A push from the city’s heritage committee, including coun. Judy Sentes, helped bring the nostalgia back to Penticton after the scroll lights were taken down and destroyed in 2019.

The newly built scrolls will be located at the intersection of Power Street and Lakeshore Drive.

The final decision on location was based on committee feedback, infrastructure logistics, sight lines, visibility, and profile. “The decision is to go with the classic look of the original scrolls with updated features and fixtures,” said Len Robson, the city’s public works manager.

“We are currently working with an engineer to design the structural details for the scroll and the support structure,” said Robson.

But the scrolls won’t be ready for this Christmas unfortunately.

“As this scroll will be a full custom build, having it in place by Christmas will not be achievable. At this time I would estimate construction in the spring of 2023,” said Robson.

When the heritage scrolls were taken down in October 2019, residents were upset and had hoped they could be restored. There has always been a certain nostalgia attached to the scrolls and the Penticton that once was.

READ MORE: COLUMN: First year without lighted Christmas scrolls in Penticton

Residents said they wanted to save the lights because they are an iconic piece of the city’s history. Others said they would volunteer their professional services as welders and repair people to help fix them. The city estimated it would cost upwards of $60,000 to repair them. But in the end, the scrolls were thrown away.

They were once located on Riverside Drive and Skaha Lake Road (near Sudbury Beach) and at one point in time at the entrance to Main Street.

Penticton’s Christmas scrolls had been enjoyed for well over 50 years.

This is a rendering of what the new lighted scrolls will look like at Power and Lakeshore Drive. (Submitted)
This is a rendering of what the new lighted scrolls will look like at Power and Lakeshore Drive. (Submitted)

READ MORE: Community rallies to save beloved ‘Scroll Lights’

To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.

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The historic scrolls at Main Street in the 1960s. (Unknown photographer)


Monique Tamminga

About the Author: Monique Tamminga

Monique brings 20 years of award-winning journalism experience to the role of editor at the Penticton Western News. Of those years, 17 were spent working as a senior reporter and acting editor with the Langley Advance Times.
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