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The Heart of CV Arts is Pynelogs Cultural Centre!
Arts Calendar | Workshops > Pynelogs Venue Details
Pynelogs Cultural Centre is the home of our gallery exhibitions,concert performances, workshops, and many special events. Built in 1914, this heritage building with a rich history, lovingly restored and renovated in 2004-2005 (more...)
Location & Driving Directions | How to Book Pynelogs | Pynelogs History
Pynelogs is located adjacent to Kinsmen Beach in Invermere, at 1720 4th Avenue.
To find Pynelogs, head down 7th Avenue, the heart of downtown Invermere, towards the historic Imperial Bank of Commerce building. Stay on 7th heading towards Kinsmen Beach Once at Kinsmen Beach, follow the sign to Pynelogs Cultural Centre. Parking is available at Kinsmen Beach or directly behind Pynelogs.
There are many options and opportunities to rent this historic and magnificent facility. We provide space for weddings, parties, business meetings, events, workshops and art functions, with a variety of room sizes to accommodate all needs. We also offer the opportunity for in-house catering, liquor license and some event planning. The main Art Gallery is approximately 2,000 square feet, open format but split up into three areas, including a fireplace room. This main floor comes with an additional 900 square foot deck overlooking majestic Lake Windermere. Smaller rooms are available to rent on the upper floor for business meetings and workshops. Room rental rates vary depending on the room size, rental time and additional rental needs. Please contact us for more information.
Download Pynelogs floor plans (Adobe Acrobat Reader required):
1st Floor Plan | 2nd Floor Plan
The primary cultural venue in Invermere and Lake Windermere area of the east is the Pynelogs Cultural Centre. This historical edifice also serves as the office for the Columbia Valley Arts Council (CV Arts). This log facility is used as an art gallery throughout the year and the building also serves as the primary venue for a variety of arts related workshops. A gift shop featuring the works of local artists and artisans operates throughout most of the year. A very popular public indoor/outdoor Cafe operates for about half the year CV Arts also sponsors and hosts a number of musical, dramatic and comedy concerts throughout the year at Pynelogs as well as at other area venues.
The building was built in 1914 by Robert Randolph Bruce, a Scottish land developer. Randolph Bruce was the first major agricultural developer in the Windermere valley at the beginning of the 20th century and his enterprise, the Columbia Valley Fruit Lands Company, brought over many of the early valley settlers from the United Kingdom. He later became the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and built Pynelogs for his English bride, Lady Elizabeth Bruce. Lady Bruce died shortly after her arrival in the Columbia Valley and is buried on the property. Her grave is impressively designated by a plaque and a monument located under a small gazebo. Randolph Bruce bequeathed Pynelogs to the District of Invermere in the 1930’s.
Pynelogs is located in a truly unique setting. This impressive historical log building is situated in a lush park on the edge of Lake Windermere in Invermere. The main entrance, at the rear of the building is adjacent to a large pond, Dorothy Lake, which features a fountain shooting water 60-70 feet into the air. The grounds contain a Botanical Heritage garden featuring “old fashioned” vegetables and flowers from the era of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition, the District plants beautiful annual gardens and looks after the landscaping of the grounds. The community Greenway’s Trail commences at Pynelogs.
The Pynelogs building is 92 years old and has undergone a number of internal modifications through its history as a private residence, hospital, group home, and its current function as the regional centre for arts and culture. Pynelogs is a truly unique facility and a heritage site for the residents of the DOI and the Upper Columbia Valley. Its historic significance in the development of this area and its place in the history of British Columbia warrant maintaining this legacy in an appropriate manner. Accordingly CV Arts and the District of Invermere spent over $530,000 on a major restoration and renovation in 2004-05 to ensure the longevity of this community treasure. Pynelogs is now essentially a 21st building inside a Victorian shell.
