Heritage home fire could see rich Kelowna history lost forever

Built in 1930, the famed Jennens House is not only iconic for its unique architectural style, but the family has deep historic ties to Kelowna.

But after a fire tore through the McDougal Street property on Oct. 20, that significant and rich history could be lost as it’s expected the home will be torn down.

The home’s exterior is as intriguing as what went on inside, with its British Arts & Crafts style. It is emblematic of the interwar period, where families thriving from the booming fruit industry built grand lakefront homes.

The homes jerkinhead roof gables, clad in cedar shingles, alongside the original multipaned windows and wood trimmed and stucco exterior, make it a rare and unique design in Kelowna. The scale of the home was also not only grand for its time but is big even by today’s standards.

The property was commissioned by Oliver Jennens in 1930, a noted local businessman who managed what is now known as B.C. Tree Fruits.

It was passed down to his son Eric, who was a ship builder. He earned notoriety through building a 60-foot-long replica Viking ship on the property, which he then used to sail across the North Atlantic. He’s also credited with designing the milfoil weed harvester, which is still used by the city to this day.

The home is now owned by Eric’s son, Terry, making it one of the last heritage properties still owned by the original family, Trisa Atwood explained. She’s Planner II in the city’s development and planning department.

“There really is a rich history here that has kind of been lost,” she told Kelowna10.

She said the loss is “a tough one,” not only on the city’s heritage, but for herself, too. She had just helped the owner usher a request to build an addition on the home through city hall. It received the nod of approval from council on Sept. 20, just ten days before the fire, which has been deemed accidental.

Should the damage be valued at more than 75 per cent of the home’s value, which is expected, it will need to come down. And even if the owner wants to rebuild, the home will not look the same, she said.

National standards for heritage designation have changed, which sees elements of the home mirrored in a more modern style, rather than a straight rebuild of a replica home.

“Even if something redevelops on this property, it won’t be mimicking the original style. It will be something that dies with the house,” she said.

Should the owner decide to rebuild, she said the development department would work with him to “find a style that pays a nod to the historical elements but brings it into a modern style we would see today.”

There are fewer than 10 similar British Arts & Crafts styled homes in the city, she said, and none with a storied history like the Jennens House.