Leir House Cultural Centre

Penticton & District Community Arts Council

Leir House Cultural Centre
220 Manor Park Avenue,
Penticton BC, V2A 2R2
Phone: (250) 492-7997
Fax: (250) 492-7969
Contact: Coordinator
www.pentictonartscouncil.org

Leir House is open to the public year round and available for rent to groups session meetings, workshops and social events at reasonable rates

History

Construction of the Leir House began in 1927 under the supervision of Hugh Charles Leir... Mr. Leir kept the mill he owned running during the depression by setting his workers to the task of building a new family home. The walls of the house are solid 2x4's laid on end and it is one of the only stone faced buildings in Penticton.

The Leir family grew to include eleven children. Mrs. Leir was known for organizing the first Teen Town in BC and LeirHouse was a gathering place for young people.

In 1951 the house was sold to the Penticton regional Hospital and used as a nurses residence. In 1979 the Penticton and District Community Arts Council advocated that the City of Penticton purchase Leir House as a Cultural Arts Centre.

In 1980 the Leir House Cultural Centre was officially opened with a gala reception attended by the public. Five of the eleven Leir children and many of their children and grand children were in attendance. Leir House Cultural Centre has since been administered by the Arts Council and is home to many arts organizations:

Penticton and District Community Arts Council 492-7997 Penticton Academy of Music 493-7977 Penticton Okanagan Symphony Society 492-0875 Okanagan Similkameen Concert Society 492-8326 Okanagan School of the Arts 493-0390 Penticton Potters Guild 493-1797.

Leir House rooms are available for rent - meetings, workshops and social occasions. The public is welcome to visit Leir House Monday to Friday, 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Other Local Art Venues

Some of the current local Art Venues are:

AGSO - Art Gallery of the South Okanagan

The Lloyd Gallery

Tumbleweed Gallery