PARC marks a hundred years of research
Open house visitors learn about Summerland centre’s past, present and outlook for the future.
By Susan McIver
he Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre (PARC) in Summerland celebrated 100 years of service to agriculture with an open house in early October.
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On the same day, the Summerland Ornamental Gardens, which is located on the PARC grounds and will celebrate its own centennial in two years, joined in the festivities.
Most of the hundreds of visitors came from the Okanagan and Similkameen
SUSAN MCIVER
Loren Campbell, left, of Kelowna and Gerald Jansen of West Kelowna check out an antique sprayer used in the 1940s.
while a few travelled from others parts of B.C. and even other provinces to attend the open house.
“Enjoy the day learning about the centre’s history and our current research activities,” Kenna MacKenzie told visitors as they approached the entrance.
MacKenzie is the associate director of research, development and technology at PARC.
The Dominion Experimental Farm at Summerland was established in 1914 to do research associated with the developing agricultural industry that included crops, poultry, swine and cattle, MacKenzie explained. Today, Summerland scientists are engaged in research to support local tree fruit, grape and wine industries and they have developed programs in food science and biotechnology.
The Canadian Plant Virus Collection is located at PARC.
SUSAN MCIVER
Michael Bernardy, curator of the Canadian Plant Virus Collection, shows Jarmilla Viktorin of Penticton some of the types of damage viruses can do to fruit.
MacKenzie is optimistic about the future of the research centre and agriculture in general while also acknowledging significant challenges. “Overall there is more money coming into agriculture research from government and industry than in the past,” she told the Penticton Herald in September.
Some visitors came to the open house because of
special connections to PARC while most wanted to learn about its activities. Siddika Mithani, assistant deputy minister of the science and technology branch of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, travelled from Ottawa to join the festivities.
For Hans-Henning Mündel the visit to PARC was a trip down memory lane. “I got my start in plant breeding as a student working for Charles Lapins in the early 1960s,” Mündel said. Now retired, Mündel was a research scientist at the agriculture research centre in Lethbridge for many years. His work took him to many countries including India, Kenya, Ethiopia and Pakistan.
“I’m to meet Lapins’ daughter, Ruta, here in a few minutes,” he said. Orchardist and industry leader Gerald Geen said, “I had a great summer here working for Dr. Lapins when I was in university. The project was on genetics of new cherry varieties.”
Penticton sisters Gail Slagger and Val Donaldson have memories of a different kind.
“Our parents brought us here as kids. I remember seeing the cow with the window in its side,” Slagger said. Many visitors, especially the younger ones, enjoyed riding in a horse drawn wagon.
“I brought my twin sons, Matthias and Gabriel, to go on the horse ride and to look around,” said Todd Redding of Penticton.
The boys aged eight were especially keen on the horses.
There were also guided walking tours British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Winter 2014-15 11
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