Plans are in the works to put a 20-foot-tall wind onion turbine on display in Merritt.
The Nicola Valley Museum and Archives has acquired the structure from the son of its inventor – Merrittonian and teacher Heinz Lange. They aim to have it displayed in a prominent place in Merritt for residents to see. It may also be a tourist attraction.
The turbine is known as a “wind onion” because of its vegetable-esque design.
At the regular city council meeting on June 10, representatives of the project presented their request to store the wind onion at the public works yard to council.
Although council members showed interest in the idea, the members of the wind onion project were ultimately left to find storage for the structure elsewhere, which they have since done.
They have also acquired a smaller version of the wind onion and are in the process of acquiring documents associated with Lange’s invention, such as letters with potential buyers of the wind onion, postcards and photos.
“There’s all kinds of things, including plans for the wind turbine,” museum director Elizabeth Salomon-de-Friedberg told the Herald.
She said Lange’s invention was originally used to aerate lakes.
Salomon-de-Friedberg said she doesn’t want to divulge the location they have found for the structure for security and insurance reasons.
The wind onion is a 20-foot-tall, wind-powered structure that sits atop a five-foot by six-foot concrete base.
It was donated to the museum, Salomon-de-Friedberg told the Herald.
City of Merritt Chief Administrative Officer Allan Chabot said public works manager Sean Boven advised against storing the structure at the public works yard because it’s an active yard with equipment constantly coming and going.
“I know that you all know that Merritt is known as a windy city and this seems a very appropriate project to take on given our location, and what we experience every day here and for its special value,” delegation presenter Shirley Reynolds told council.
“My vision is to take something old that has been dubbed the wind onion, refurbish it, and relocate it to a more prominent and visible place within the city of Merritt.
“The wind onion has historical value to the city in that one of its now deceased citizens invented it,” Reynolds said at the council meeting.
She said her hope is the structure can use wind and solar power to light itself.
Reynolds indicated the wind onion also has the potential to be dubbed Merritt’s first art sculpture.
Coun. Mike Goetz said he thinks the project is a great idea.
“I walk around town and I see all the murals to the people that have come here and played one night and left, and never come back – probably have no idea they even have a mural here anymore – and I think this is a local hero idea. I think it’s a really good idea,” Goetz said.
