The Okanagan Rail Trail has become a draw for cyclists across the valley and the City of Kelowna is looking to finish the work started on it years ago, by completing the last six kilometres between Kelowna and Lake Country.
The news has owners of a local bike shop in Oyama thrilled that they may able to fully ride into Kelowna.
“All the people in this area love the Okanagan Rail Trail and have just been dying to get into Kelowna and use the rest of the trail,” said Pedego Electric Bikes co-owner Sheila Fraser.
“It’s just such a fantastic active transportation corridor for the Okanagan. People of all abilities and all different mobilities that use this trail.”
The City of Kelowna has set the wheels in motion for completing the final section of the Okanagan Rail Trail. The city is currently inviting proposals to finish the rail trail, highlighting some of the work that needs to be done.
“Construction of approximately 6.4 km of trail along the existing rail corridor from Old Vernon Road to 500m north of Beaver Lake Road. The works include clearing and grubbing, trail construction and gravel placement,” read the report.
The bid process will be open until April 5 and the document states the work should commence two weeks after contract execution, with completion by Aug. 31.
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Many, however, are hoping it’s finished sooner, to take advantage of peak tourist season during the Summer months.
“Our renters love to go through Lake Country and up towards Vernon, but now we’ll have that whole other area of being able to help them enjoy,” said Sheila.
The bike store says the opening of the finished pathway will allow for a lot more economic opportunity, not only in Kelowna but in the surrounding areas along the trail.
“Businesses here will certainly accelerate and get better over the summer. All of those businesses that people talk about that are in downtown Kelowna, whether it’s nightclubs, restaurants or the front of the Okanagan Lake, and that now these people have access and they’re not involved in traffic or anything like that,” said Murray Fraser Pedego Electric Bikes co-owner.
The city has an estimated total budget for the completion to be $1.3 million. The project would include 6,600 linear metres of trail construction, 26,500 square metres of gravel placement and improvements to the pedestrian timber bridge.
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