Okanagan hiking trails at risk

Hiking is a big part of Okanagan living but in one area of the valley, concerns are growing over the potential loss of a number of nature trails.

“We are at risk of losing all of the lower trails because that is where the proposed development is going in,” Gerhard Schauble said.

Schauble lives near Mt. Boucherie in West Kelowna. He belongs to ‘Friends of Mt. Boucherie’, a group that is fighting to save a network of trails at risk because of the final phases of the Vineyard Estates Development.

“We will go from a natural type of environment to, if people want to use the lower trail systems, they will be on sidewalks and streets,” Schauble said.

The final three phases of the Vineyard Estates Development calls for 36 hectares of land to be developed on the south-eastern side of Mt. Boucherie. It would include close to 200 homes.

The group ‘Friends of Mt.Boucherie, isn’t against the proposal, it just hopes to preserve some of the hiking paths.

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“You’ll never get it back, that is what we will lose. We will never get it back if it goes away,” Craig Potts said.

Potts is also a nearby resident and a member of ‘Friends of Mt.Boucherie’. He says if the development moves forward as planned, it will eliminate a lot of the lower mountain trails and push hiking and walking further up the slope. Trails, Potts says, that will make it nearly impossible for seniors and young families to use.

“They won’t be able to utilize those trails,” Potts said. “Too steep, tough terrain for them compared to what we have.”

It’s important to note that the trails at risk are on private property. Up until now, the public has benefited from being able to use them but many residents believe, private or not, it’s in everyone’s best interest to preserve it.

“For the greater good of West Kelowna, let’s preserve as much of the parks as we can despite it being on private land,” Schauble said. “That’s part of the negotiations and we appeal to the developer to see that position that we have.”

Calls from Global News to the developer, Victor Projects Ltd., were not returned Wednesday.

A public hearing on the proposed development will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater did not want to comment on the potential loss of trails until after the public hearing.

A Facebook page called ‘Friends of Mt. Boucherie‘ has now been created to help raise awareness about the issue. An online petition is also up and running and has garnered 375 signatures.