The Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is moving forward with plans to improve Kalamoir Park in West Kelowna, B.C., aiming to enhance accessibility and safety on its trails.
The updated proposal has sparked a range of reactions from local community members.
The district approved widening certain trails to a maximum of 2.4 metres, with upgrades to the Sunnyside Trail focusing on public safety. Originally, the plan included widening trails to 4.4 metres.
RDCO Chairperson Loyal Wooldridge said that the goal of the upgrades was to enhance the experience for residents.
“All upgrades that we do to any public infrastructure, especially parks, are to enhance the experience of residents,” he said.
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“We know we’re not going to please everyone, but I think the board reached a common-sense decision that respects the natural environment while also making safety upgrades that are needed.”
Jill Rodrigues from the Casa Loma Community Association expressed her support for the changes, saying, “We are super pleased.”
“We feel that they have made a great decision to look at Kalamoir as a conservation park, at the same time they made adjustments so that the lakeshore path is going to be accessible to as many people as possible without it becoming a corridor,” said Rodrigues.
However, some felt the changes didn’t go far enough.
“The trails as they stand right now are too narrow for people to coexist safely. We’ve had people from adjacent neighbourhoods who use handbikes and wheelchairs who currently don’t have access to the trails,” said Janice Liebe, President of the Trail of the Okanagan Society.
Despite these differing views, RDCO Chairperson Loyal Wooldridge believes the revised plan strikes a good balance.
“I know some people don’t like e-bikes on the trail, but they are already there, so how can we best accommodate everyone that’s using the park to ensure that it’s there today and into the future?” he said.
The initial proposal carried a price tag of $1.8 million, but with the amendments, the final cost could change.
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