2024 April
Our name change is official with BC Society's acceptance., with 'Park' removed, since our mandate extends well beyond on-site park work.
2023 March
Heritage conservator Patrick Fraser passed away, age 62, of siicosis from his years of work as a master stone mason. He is missed!
2022 April 26
Our name change is official with BC Society's acceptance., with 'Park' removed, since our mandate extends well beyond on-site park work.
2023 March
Heritage conservator Patrick Fraser passed away, age 62, of siicosis from his years of work as a master stone mason. He is missed!
2022 April 26
- BC Parks hired ace heritage conservator Patrick Fraser of Heartwood Heritage Restorations to renew the upstairs windows, which were badly weather-rotted. The repairs look original -- amazing work!
- The look of the flower beds in the back yard are, said a Ruckle heir on seeing them, starting to match Lotus Ruckle's garden. Well done, dedicated FRPH volunteer gardeners! Camas and vines in the front yard are doing well, sure to expand and thrive in coming years.
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2020 August: We're Winners!
The 2019 "Ruckle Provincial Park Heritage Conservation Plan", paid for by a 2018-19 $10,000 grant to our society from the Heritage Legacy Fund, and created by Heritageworks Inc. of Victoria, won Heritage BC's 2020 Outstanding Achievement in Planning & Management award. Click here or on the image to read. Gord, Ben, and Denise went above and beyond to produce the plan, contributing many volunteer hours to it, because they love Ruckle farm and park. They'll continue to work with us on future projects, yay! |
2019 November: Henry Ruckle house interior painted
The downstairs walls and ceilings of the main house (not the kitchen addition) got the Cinderella treatment this fall, from dingy, peeling paint layers laid down between 1876 to the 1960s to bright, smooth surfaces again, covered with colours matched to the original, oldest layer.
Snazzy Construction of Salt Spring won the contract from BC Parks. Owner/painter Dalton Reid shown below. Many cheers for this long overdue work, nicely done for a very reasonable cost.
The downstairs walls and ceilings of the main house (not the kitchen addition) got the Cinderella treatment this fall, from dingy, peeling paint layers laid down between 1876 to the 1960s to bright, smooth surfaces again, covered with colours matched to the original, oldest layer.
Snazzy Construction of Salt Spring won the contract from BC Parks. Owner/painter Dalton Reid shown below. Many cheers for this long overdue work, nicely done for a very reasonable cost.
2019 May 05: Ruckle Heritage Farm Day
At our table at the farm, we had brochures and newsletters on hand, and a few copies of Ruckles' World book for sale. Next to us was Salt Spring Island Historical Society and Archives, which will have a great photo display of Ruckle family members and their farming operations.
Marjorie and Mike Lane, shown left, by our table, have hosted Ruckle Farm Days for years now, a most-appreciated island tradition.
At our table at the farm, we had brochures and newsletters on hand, and a few copies of Ruckles' World book for sale. Next to us was Salt Spring Island Historical Society and Archives, which will have a great photo display of Ruckle family members and their farming operations.
Marjorie and Mike Lane, shown left, by our table, have hosted Ruckle Farm Days for years now, a most-appreciated island tradition.
2018 June: Last of the Ruckles at Beaver Point
Helen Agnes Ruckle was the last of four signatories on the agreement to create Ruckle Park. As long as direct Ruckle descendants lived, they would run the farm, in partnership with BC Parks.
Helen passed away in mid-June of 2018. She seemed robust and was as astute as ever, sure to live at least another 10 years. Her death came as a shock to all.
She is missed in countless ways, by kin and long-time friends, as well as those just getting to know her. She was a straight-shooting Ruckle with a fine wit. Her students from long years of teaching Phys Ed and Math, mostly in Victoria, remember her one of their best teachers ever. Her walking and hiking friends speak fondly of their many outings, near and far, so very sad to have lost this dynamo. Helen's memories ran deep, of course, back to knowing Grandma Ella Anna (born in 1841) until she died when Helen was 6. What a world of precious knowledge she took with her.
In Helen's memory, the Friends of Ruckle Park Heritage will work to help keep the generous, no-nonsense Ruckle spirit alive and thriving at the farm Time moves on, but the gifts of this farm are timeless, caring for the land and passing it on for future generations to tend and cherish.
2019 May 05, Ruckle Heritage Farm Day
At our table at the farm, we had brochures and newsletters on hand, and a few copies of Ruckles' World book for sale. Next to us was Salt Spring Island Historical Society and Archives, which will have a great photo display of Ruckle family members and their farming operations.
Marjorie and Mike Lane, shown above by our table. They've hosted Ruckle Farm Days for years now, a most-appreciated island tradition.
2018 August: Fabulous News!
The Friends of Ruckle Park Heritage has received a $10,000 grant from the B.C. Heritage Legacy Fund. Read about it here.
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2018 May
BC Parks is getting going on work to fix up the 1870s Ruckle farmhouse and develop a Conservation Plan for the rest of the farm buildings and landscape. BC Heritage Branch has taken a keen interest in guiding this.
No hands-on work for volunteers to help with yet, but soon.
2015 February: The End that started Friends of Ruckle
Today is it, the last day for the 111-year-old Monk farmhouse.
The nine-member strata that owns it is tearing it down. Most members wanted to save it. The few prevailed. Everyone else lost. The whole community lost. Visitors to Ruckle Park lost.
At this point, there's nothing we can do. It's just a very very sad day. We'll pick ourselves up and continue to do good works, including finding ways within the OCP and Trust to keep other historic buildings from being demolished.
Helen Agnes Ruckle was the last of four signatories on the agreement to create Ruckle Park. As long as direct Ruckle descendants lived, they would run the farm, in partnership with BC Parks.
Helen passed away in mid-June of 2018. She seemed robust and was as astute as ever, sure to live at least another 10 years. Her death came as a shock to all.
She is missed in countless ways, by kin and long-time friends, as well as those just getting to know her. She was a straight-shooting Ruckle with a fine wit. Her students from long years of teaching Phys Ed and Math, mostly in Victoria, remember her one of their best teachers ever. Her walking and hiking friends speak fondly of their many outings, near and far, so very sad to have lost this dynamo. Helen's memories ran deep, of course, back to knowing Grandma Ella Anna (born in 1841) until she died when Helen was 6. What a world of precious knowledge she took with her.
In Helen's memory, the Friends of Ruckle Park Heritage will work to help keep the generous, no-nonsense Ruckle spirit alive and thriving at the farm Time moves on, but the gifts of this farm are timeless, caring for the land and passing it on for future generations to tend and cherish.
2019 May 05, Ruckle Heritage Farm Day
At our table at the farm, we had brochures and newsletters on hand, and a few copies of Ruckles' World book for sale. Next to us was Salt Spring Island Historical Society and Archives, which will have a great photo display of Ruckle family members and their farming operations.
Marjorie and Mike Lane, shown above by our table. They've hosted Ruckle Farm Days for years now, a most-appreciated island tradition.
2018 August: Fabulous News!
The Friends of Ruckle Park Heritage has received a $10,000 grant from the B.C. Heritage Legacy Fund. Read about it here.
0 Comments
2018 May
BC Parks is getting going on work to fix up the 1870s Ruckle farmhouse and develop a Conservation Plan for the rest of the farm buildings and landscape. BC Heritage Branch has taken a keen interest in guiding this.
No hands-on work for volunteers to help with yet, but soon.
2015 February: The End that started Friends of Ruckle
Today is it, the last day for the 111-year-old Monk farmhouse.
The nine-member strata that owns it is tearing it down. Most members wanted to save it. The few prevailed. Everyone else lost. The whole community lost. Visitors to Ruckle Park lost.
At this point, there's nothing we can do. It's just a very very sad day. We'll pick ourselves up and continue to do good works, including finding ways within the OCP and Trust to keep other historic buildings from being demolished.
