Historically speaking, City Park has always been the crown jewel of Kelowna’s parks.
“Back when the city was incorporated in 1905, the council of the day took 80 per cent of their budget for their first year and bought this land,” said Kelowna city project manager, Andrew Gibbs
But according the city’s mayor, the crown jewel has been neglected a little of late.
“Due to our infrastructure deficit we haven’t been able to revitalize it as much as we’d like,” said Colin Basran.
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The last time City Park saw a major fiscal project was 2010, when new washrooms were built but near Cold Sands beach. However, that development drought is about to end this fall.
“We will be taking up the existing brick pathway, between the Hot Sands washroom and the Cold Sands washroom, and replacing and realigning it with a concrete surface that’s wider and smoother to give more people more access to the park,” said Gibbs.
The city projects the cost of replacing the old pathway at $2.1 million.
“It’s time to bring it up to the standard of a modern city that we can be proud of,” Basran said.
Logs will also be placed strategically along the foreshore to prevent sand from being continually washed away from the park’s beaches.
The city has already had to complete what it calls a ‘beach nourishment’ project, which entailed moving sand from the south end of Hot Sands beach back up to the north end because it had been dislodged after years of high-water erosion.
Future plans for the park include improving the point where the park’s two beaches meet.
“Right now there is a lonely willow tree holding that shoreline together. The idea is to keep that, but to build some type of circular pier around it so you can get out to the water,” Gibbs said.
The city is also currently looking for public engagement regarding its multi-year, multi-phase park plan.
To provide your input on the City Park improvement plan visit here.