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The Heritage Development Organization (HDO) is a consortium formed by the Greenwood Heritage Society (Museum), Greenwood Improvement Society, Greenwood Board of Trade, Greenwood Community Association and the City of Greenwood to develop the former West Kootenay Power building into the Boundary Mining and Power Interpretive Centre. Over the past year, a comprehensive business plan along with building and site plans were developed by professionals to ensure the building is properly developed while maintaining its heritage integrity.

Exciting things are beginning to happen at the facility.  A recently awarded contract through HRDC has four people from the Boundary Area working on renovating the building.  Through a partnership with Katim Enterprises Ltd., the Heritage Development Organization has secured plans to move into an exciting phase of this project.  By October 2002 the objectives through this contract are:

·        Complete the initial renovations of the inside of the building;

·        build a deck around the outside of the building which will be used as the main access to the building; and,

·        landscape the outside with walking trails and a parking lot.

Further progress has been made in the centre with a program to install and produce alternative energy in the facility. This example of program development will provide the public with a different look at electrical generation in contrast the historic means of producing and distributing power.

Right at the top of the building, eight solar panels have given the building a new look for moving into the 21^st century.  As a demonstration project these panels take in daylight, not necessarily sunlight, although sunlight is the best for a faster charge.  Four 6-volt batteries hooked in a series, store 24-volts of direct current (DC) or 800 WATTS.  There is also a space age looking windmill that will also charge the batteries If the batteries are charged, the windmill will not turn to prevent bearing wear.  The battery power goes through a computerized inverter that transforms the DC volts into 120-volts of alternative current (AC).  The inverter provides 40 Amps of energy at 120 volts.

Currently the power is being accessed to run lights in the building as well as power equipment needed for the renovations that are happening.  Eventually the energy will be used for the whole building.  In the future, excess power generated will be backed through the meter and resold to Utilicorp to be used as a credit towards the power consumed in the building.