The Rock Creek Hotel, one of the longest running hotels in B.C., had its doors closed on Sept. 23 as representatives of Canada Revenue Agency swooped in to forcibly halt business in the establishment. A history of unpaid taxes led the federal agency to seize the property and assets while a buyer is sought.
Previously known as the Prospector Pub, the hotel was first licensed in the early 1890s, and vies with Nakusp’s Leland Hotel for the title of oldest operating hotel in the province. Long a mecca for summer tourists, many of them arriving on motorcycles, the pub boasts a large riverfront patio, annually adorned with hanging flower baskets, which attract not only travellers in search of a break from their travels but also a sizeable population of birds. Patrons are able to catch a glimpse of the steady parade of tubers, making their way along the Kettle River from various points north, some as far away as the Kettle River Provincial Park. It too sits closed, a victim of the recent wildfire that tore through its west side, narrowly missing the large contingent of RV and tent campers lodged next to the river.
The pub’s closure will prove disappointing for many residents in the area, as well as those passing through year-round. It has also forced some groups to seek alternative sites for regular gatherings.
The Kettle River Lion’s Club, whose weekend meat draw has long been an excellent income source for the club, has been forced to find another location for the event.
Lion Phil Gunhouse is pleased to report that Midway’s Hot-L has agreed to host the event beginning Oct. 3.
A local icon, the Rock Creek Hotel will be sorely missed, and the community can only hope that a new proprietor will be found in the not-so-distant future.