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West Kelowna  

A glimpse into the past

A Peachland man has stumbled upon a literal goldmine in the hills behind his house and surrounding area. In fact, he's found 14.

Ron Barkwill first became interested in the old mines by reading a book on the history of Peachland in the library. He continued his research on the internet and found there were dozens of mines in the area, dating back to the 1800s.

While the mines contain very little valuable materials these days, Barkwill has spent the last year hunting down the old mines, and cataloging them in a large notebook.

His book includes pictures, notes, government records and any other information he can find on the abandoned mines. He plans to compile his notes into a published book sometime in the next couple of years, after he has cataloged them all.

While he's found just under half of the 34 mines so far, he's determined to find them all.

Barkwill has also been in talks with the Okanagan Film Commission. He hopes to turn his mine hunting adventures into an educational reality show, where he can show the public the history of mining in the Okanagan and the remnants of the past that are still around today.

Barkwill is quick to explain the many safety precautions he takes before heading out on his adventures. He has several GPS devices he maps all his travels on, and brings plenty of medical supplies, extra snacks and water along in case of an emergency. 

Barkwill took the author out to one of the mines behind his house. Check out the trip in the video below.



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