Bowen Island Community Heritage Register
The Bowen Island Community Heritage Register was adopted on January 11, 2021. This Register was developed in cooperation with the Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association and the Bowen Island Museum and Archives, along with feedback from community members.
Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Strategic Plan
The former Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Commission developed the Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Strategic Plan through extensive research and interactive public engagement. Council adopted the plan on September 25, 2023.
Heritage Organizations on Bowen Island
We are thrilled to announce that the Bowen Island Museum and Archives has struck a Heritage Committee and will be taking on the implementation of the BIM Heritage Strategic Plan.
The Bowen Island Municipal Heritage Commission was formed in late 2015 to assist with development of the Heritage Strategic Plan and to advise Council on heritage issues. Its members included longstanding members of the Arts Council, the Bowen Island Heritage Preservation Association, and the Bowen Island Museum and Archives. In February of 2026, as part of its Governance Restructure, Council voted to repeal the Heritage Commission Establishment Bylaw on the condition that its work be carried out by the Museum and Archives, and that financial support be provided. In March 2026, Council approved a Community Core Funding Agreement which details funding, provides referrals guidelines, and outlines specific deliverables. For information on heritage initiatives on Bowen Island, please visit the Bowen Island Museum and Archives website.
Heritage Week in BC: Ways You Can Participate
- Attend an event
- Host an event
- Advocate for heritage
We recognize our cultural and natural heritage are irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration, our touchstone, our reference point, our identity
Heritage week is held to recognize the histories that make the foundation of our community, connecting citizens through shared values and creating a place of pride and social well-being.
Heritage Week celebrations in the past
HeritageBC Week 2024
We acknowledge that all people in our community contribute to our rich cultural heritage.
2024 Heritage Week is February 19 – 25. The theme is “Layer by Layer”.
Heritage Week is an annual event that takes place during the third full week in February. It celebrates and showcases local heritage across the province.
Every year, Heritage BC launches Heritage Week by choosing a theme and sending official posters to libraries, schools, municipal offices and politicians across the province. We support and promote organizations who host local heritage events for their communities, and encourage municipalities to issue proclamations formalizing the week.
Heritage is the layering of stories that describe the uniqueness of a community’s past and present while informing the future. This year’s Heritage Week: Layer by Layer, invites us to dig deeper into our community’s past and explore the many layers and stories that our unique community holds. Take some time this week to learn something new about the many “layers” of the place we call home.
When? February 19 – 25, 2024
Where? Events in communities all around BC. On Bowen Island, see the heritage elements that will be included in our Family Day Celebration held February 16 – 19.
Who? Anyone can participate!
Why? Heritage Week is held to recognize the histories that make the foundation of our community, connecting citizens through shared values and creating a place of pride and social well-being.
Heritage Week 2023
Always in All Ways invites you to explore your local community’s heritage in all the ways that excite you! This could look like anything from joining a walking tour, taking part in a workshop, to cooking a family recipe at home. Take time during this week to celebrate the culture and heritage of the communities that make up the place you call home.
Heritage Week 2022
The BC Heritage Week 2022 theme explores the many ways that heritage engagement requires creativity, as well as unique solutions and actions to encourage broad participation. Heritage can and must foster best practices in diversity and accessibility. By reducing the many different types of barriers that keep people from enjoying heritage and feeling safe, then lives will be enriched. When heritage responds to diversity and accessibility challenges, it becomes inclusive. This is possible for even the smallest of heritage organizations and is reason to celebrate.
Meet Bowen’s new mascot on Family Day, February 21!
Come see us at the Gateway Mural Launch Party to meet the new mascot and get a delicious treat courtesy of the Sweet Stand. 1:30 pm on Monday, February 21 at the Snug Cove North Dock.
Museum and Archives: the unique history of the blind on Bowen Island
The Bowen Island Museum and Archives has an online exhibit on Facebook exploring the unique and rich history of the blind of Bowen. Check in daily to see the posts February 21-27, 2022.
The theme for 2021 Heritage Week was “Where Do You Find Heritage?” It’s a great fit for our local celebrations.
Bowen Island has just adopted our first Community Heritage Register, and the Heritage Commission is now seeking suggestions to build our heritage inventory, a list of places to consider as additions to the Register.
Please contribute your ideas, personal stories, and images to places suggested for the inventory on our Citizenlab platform. Your input is a vital part of the process of creating our Heritage Strategic Plan.
Heritage Week was February 17 to 23, 2020.
Tuesday, Feb 11 at the Legion
12:00-1:00 pm Join us for Tuesday lunch at the Legion with the Caring Circle where Bowen’s heritage will be celebrated through a collection of images and personal histories. Chat with Bowen’s Archivist, Cathy Bayly about sharing your Bowen stories and with BIM Planner 1, Jennifer Pierce about how to get involved with the upcoming Heritage Strategic Plan and Heritage Week events.
Saturday, Feb 15 at Library Annex
- 2:30-4:30 pm Davies Cottage Museum will open its doors for visitors.
- 2:45-4:30 pm Meet at front entrance of Library, then head out for a 1.5 hour Heritage Tour led by Peter Vaisbord and Melissa Harrison. Peter has been active in heritage advocacy since 1989 and was a co-founder of Heritage Vancouver. Melissa is co-chair of the BIM Heritage Commission. The tour will feature a selection of the top 10 sites currently being proposed for Bowen’s Heritage Register. Rain or Shine – dress for walking and weather.
- 4:30-6:30 pm Heritage Public Engagement including:
- Watch the trailer for Bowen’s first shadow puppet film series by Bowen Fables and Bowen community members! The film series will be presented in March 7 at the Annex, 7-9pm.
- Presentation on Bowen’s heritage story by Cathy Bayly, archivist at the BI Museum and Archives.
- Presentation by BIM Planner 1 on the new engagement platform where members of the public can:
- Review the Heritage Register
- Suggest items to include in the Heritage Inventory
- Learn about and discuss heritage conservation tools
Feb 17-23 on Social Media
BIM’s Facebook feed featured heritage photos all week long and announcements of other events during the week.
- Sports
- Buildings
- Transportation
- Marine
- Industry
- School
- Theatre
- Bonus: Bowen Island Fire Rescue
Friend the Bowen Island Museum and Archives on FaceBook and have fun remembering Bowen’s past.
Bowen Fables is a series of short shadow puppet films that were produced through community workshops. The films use archival images from the Bowen Island Museum and Archives and local stories as a starting point for exploring the creation of local legends. The series was created by Daniella Sorrentino (Mobile Film Camp) and puppeteer Elizabeth Nankin. The Bowen Fables films will be shown at a screening at the Library Annex on March 7, 2020 at 7:00 pm.