The Bennett mansion in Kelowna -- home of two BC premiers and the site of decades of Canada Day 'strawberry teas' -- is up for sale for a cool $3 million.
The 4,900-square-foot, five-bedroom, three-bathroom home at 1988 Bowes St. (near Ethel Street between Sutherland Avenue and Springfield Road) is still owned by the Bennett family, which has listed it for sale with Jane Hoffman Realty.
Jane Hoffman Realty specializes in selling high-profile, luxury and lakeshore properties.
The Bennett mansion certainly qualifies on two of those fronts.
It's high-profile because it was home to W.A.C. Bennett, who was premier 1952-72, and his son, Bill Bennett, who grew up there and was premier 1975-86.
And it's worth multi-millions, listed at $2,998,000 to be exact.
Both W.A.C. (William Andrew Cecil) and Bill (William) have since passed and it's their descendants who still own it and have listed it for sale.
The same family subdivided the original seven acres the mansion sits on years ago to build luxury townhouses -- called Bennett Estates -- around the home.
The mansion was preserved as a common area for homeowners of the townhouses.
But now, the family has decided to sell the 109-year-old mansion and the 0.2 acres of land its on.
Anyone can buy the mansion and live in it if they want.
Or, there's hope the purchaser may be some sort of group that might keep the property as a kind of museum or archives.
The mansion was originally built for F.R.E. DeHart in 1914 in the Tudor Revival style with a half-timbered second storey, big bay windows and rough stucco finish.
The exterior has been well preserved and so has the interior with its grand marbled entryway, cherry woodwork, original wallpaper, chandeliers and wood floors.
Important men certainly liked their triple initials back in that day.
F.R.E. stands for Francis Richard Edward and he was a developer and fruit industry leader who also happened to be Kelowna's mayor in 1909.
DeHart lived in the mansion, which he called Brookside Manor after Mill Creek, which runs through the property, until his death in 1936.
Shortly after he passed, W.A.C. Bennett purchased the mansion and moved in with his wife, May, and their children.
At the time, W.A.C. owned and operated the hardware store downtown on Bernard Avenue.
He would also go on to invest in BC's first winery -- Calona Wines -- and get into politics, serving as Kelowna MLA 1941-73 and premier 1952-72.
It was during his time as premier that the family started the 'strawberry tea' tradition on the grounds of the mansion every Canada Day.
Everyone on the voters' list was invited and every year around 15,000 people would attend.
His son, Bill, continued the parties when he was premier.
More information and photos at www.janehoffman.com.
