Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, City of Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd and Ron Cannan, MP joined students from approximately 50 schools in the Central Okanagan, including students from the Westbank First Nation community, to place items into a time capsule, for placement in one of the new W.R. Bennett Bridge pontoons.

Standing in the photo with Ron were two students Kevin McCarty, 16 and Juliya Bilous, 14 from Okanagan Adventist Academy.

This is a very unique way to celebrate the new bridge, Cannan said. “By placing these items in the time capsule, these students are helping to mark history of this bridge and this community. In 27 years, the bridge is returned back to the Province by the private operator and the students can return and reflect upon this time in history.

Each school was asked to fill a ‘memory box’ with items chosen by the schools for the time capsule. Once the capsule was filled, students from Okanagan College Welding Department will seal the time capsule, which will then be brought out on a barge to the pontoon for placement.


“We are pleased that children from the Westbank First Nation community are included in the time capsule project,” said Westbank First Nation Chief Robert Louie. “The new bridge is history in the making and it is important that all of our communities are represented.”

The time capsule will be opened again in 2035 when the agreement with the partner responsible for overseeing and maintaining the bridge is complete.

Falcon also announced today that he will be joining the City of Kelowna, Westbank First Nation, the District of Westside and the broader community to officially open the bridge on May 25 – 108 days ahead of the original scheduled opening of Sept. 12, 2008. The opening will include community celebrations in City Park in Kelowna, featuring local talent, family activities and a fireworks display.

The $144.5-million W.R. Bennett Bridge is named for William (Bill) R. Bennett, who served as Premier of British Columbia from 1975 to 1986. SNC-Lavalin Inc. was chosen in 2005 to design, build, finance, and operate the toll-free bridge under a 30-year contract.

In conjunction with the bridge construction, the Westbank First Nation is managing the $13-million Campbell Road Interchange project on the bridge’s west end. The interchange is scheduled for completion in May.