The pier at Rotary Beach will receive some upgrades thanks to a donation of more than $200,000 from the Rotary Club of Summerland.

The money was raised through community donations as Summerlanders supported the pier project, said Connie Denesiuk, a member of the Rotary Club.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been an exciting project,鈥� she said at the Nov. 26 Summerland council meeting. 鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled that the community has come together and we鈥檙e thrilled with the support of people in this wonderful place that we call home.鈥�

For the past two years, the service club had been working on fundraising for the pier, with the donation on Nov. 26 the result of their efforts. 

While the Rotary did not have an official fundraising target in mind, Denesiuk said the service club had hoped to raise at least $200,000. 

She said 10 plaques 鈥� five large and five small 鈥� will be displayed on benches on the pier, in honour of families who donated.

Denesiuk said some families chose to donate money to this project in memory of loved ones.

Funding also came in through a variety of community initiatives and fundraising projects. 

Summerland council had earlier earmarked $797,400 for a basic replacement of the pier coming from the $4.533 million provincial Growing Communities Fund. The project came in under budget.

The funding covered the basic pier, while Rotary raised money for enhancements.

The pier, which was opened on July 11, replaces a community landmark. The earlier pier had been constructed in 1999, but was dismantled in 2023 because of safety concerns. The wooden pilings had rotted and as a result, the structure was no longer safe.

The pier replacement is on the same site as the earlier pier, and also on the same location as an earlier wharf which had been constructed in 1910 by the Canadian Pacific Railway. That earlier wharf allowed for goods to be transported from railway cars to barges and steamers connected Summerland with other communities along Okanagan Lake. It was used until 1973.