One of the oldest buildings in Williams Lake receives a new lease on life with the installation of a new roof
The Elks Hall in Williams Lake has reached its 68th year of being a vital community hub for the community. This was reached in part due to the combined effort of various partners to replace the building’s leaking and rotting roof in 2016, a project the Trust was pleased to support.
The Elks Hall is a reliable venue in Williams Lake for clubs, businesses and other organizations to host fundraisers, social events and business events. Numerous craft fairs and markets have been held in the space, providing local artisans and producers with an avenue to sell their products and residents with a convenient place to support entrepreneurs in the community.
“The Elks Hall is very important to the community of Williams Lake,” said Arnie Zimmerman, manager of the Elks Hall. “The help we received from all the partners was very much appreciated and we look forward to hosting many events well into the future.”
This communal gathering place also contributes to the attractive qualities of Williams Lake for potential new residents while enhancing the quality of life for those who already consider Williams Lake home.
The Cariboo Elks Lodge #239 was formed on October 19, 1930, just over one year after Williams Lake was incorporated as a municipality. When it was formed there were 44 members, which was more than one third of Williams Lake’s entire voting population. Fundraising began for the building of the hall, which was delayed due to World War Two. In 1948 the first hall was completed, only to burn down in January 1949. The community quickly rallied together, and the new building was completed the following winter.
Fire fighting at Elks Hall, 1949. Photo credit: Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin
Northern Development Initiative Trust provided $12,180 in funding to the project through its Community Halls and Recreation Facilities program. Other financial supporters were the Province of British Columbia, private donors, CanWest Propane Partnership and the Williams Lake and District Credit Union.
