Traffic in downtown Summerland has changed considerably over the years.
A century ago, horse-drawn wagons were the dominant form of transportation within the community, as seen in pictures from the early 1900s.
READ ALSO: Old gas pump on display at Summerland Museum
READ ALSO: Summerland expands network of electric vehicle charging stations
In the early decades of the 20th century, gas-powered automobiles replaced horse-powered transportation.
An old Bowser C-111 gas pump, manufactured in Toronto in 1925 and later used in Summerland, was restored and is on display at the Summerland Museum.
This pump was initially used in Summerland’s Lowertown, although the specific gas station is not known. At least five gas stations in the area sold gasoline in the 1920s. Pumps of this design were used in Summerland until the early 1950s.
In recent years, electric vehicles have been growing in popularity in Summerland.
In the spring of 2013, Summerland installed its first public electric vehicle charging stations. Three stations were opened in the downtown area at the time.
Additional electric vehicle charging stations were installed in 2020 and 2021.
In June 2021, the Okanagan Skaha School District purchased its first electric school bus. The bus, at the Summerland Yard, marked the start of a plan to transition the school district’s 18 buses from diesel to electric power.
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Traffic in 1915 was not the same as it is today. This picture shows the edge of what is now Summerland’s Main Street. At that time, the majority of transportation was done by horse-drawn wagons rather than gasoline-powered cars and trucks. Electric vehicle charging stations at public spots in downtown Summerland did not exist until nearly a century later. The first charging stations opened in April, 2013. The house in the background is the Alex Steven home, which still overlooks the downtown core. (Photo courtesy of the Summerland Museum) While the Okanagan Shaka School District’s new electric bus looks much like conventional diesel buses, the technology powering the vehicle is different. The bus is at the Summerland Yard and will be used on bus routes in Summerland. (John Arendt - Summerland Review)
