The City of Kelowna is in the process of preparing a city-wide Linear Park Master Plan for inclusion in the 2009 update to the Official Community Plan.
The Linear Park Master Plan
will include:
To help develop the plan, staff have engaged the services of Catherine Berris & Associates, a landscape architecture firm.
View the vision, goals & objectives of the master plan.
Update - August 2010
In November 2009, the Linear Park Master Plan was presented to and approved by Council as guide for the linear park development within the city. The City has been working hard to implement the recommendations identified in the Linear Park Master Plan as you can see from the extensive list below, has taken advantage of funding and grants available through the Province and Federal Government. Numbers in parentheses correspond with the designated trail number in the Linear Park Master Plan.
a) Mission Creek Greenway
(75)– the city recently purchased property at 579 Truswell Road (La Mission Motel). The intention is to extend the Mission Creek Greenway west towards Okanagan Lake, under Lakeshore Road and onto this property. At the time of park development improvements will include a parking / staging area. Timing is dependent on replacement of the Lakeshore Road vehicular bridge which is planned for 2013 or later. The City will be leasing the site to BC Housing for affordable housing for a minimum two year period.
b) Parkinson Recreation Park Multi-use Trail – construction is underway to connect the Rails with Trails (93) corridor that parallels Clement Avenue with the new Dayton Street pedestrian overpass over Highway 97. This trail is intended for both recreational users and commuters and will be surfaced in asphalt with flush concrete edging. The trail alignment follows along the eastern property line of Parkinson Recreation Park, and forms an important link between neighbouring communities, regional transit, the Parkinson Recreation Centre, other trails and local businesses. This project includes construction of a new bridge for pedestrians and cyclists over Mill Creek. A future Phase of this trail will continue south of the pedestrian overpass to the intersection of Sutherland Avenue and Burtch Road (128). The timing of this future phase has not been determined and dependant on future funding.
c) Bellevue Creek Greenway (8)– in October 2009 the city purchased 703 Vance Avenue at Gordon Drive. An inground swimming pool and pool house in close proximity to the creek were removed, the property was subdivided to allow for the future trail along Bellevue Creek, and the remaining single family residence was resold. Riparian restoration in the form of native plantings was reintroduced on the resulting parcel of city land.
d) Brandt’s Creek Linear Park (17) – as part of the Glenmore Bypass construction, a new pedestrian crossing was included linking the existing sections of Brandt’s Creek Linear Park.
e) Priest Creek Linear Park (89) – with the assistance from FOSS (Friends of the South Slopes) this 1 km section of gravel trail was constructed in 2009 from Balldock Road south to the City Limits with connections into Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park. Three timber bridges crossing the creek and riparian restoration were included in this project.
f) Gopher Creek Linear Park (43) –Construction of a section of Gopher Creek Linear Park, between Highway 33 and Gallagher Road, is anticipated in the fall of 2010 to correspond with the widening of Highway 33 and the construction of a pedestrian underpass. The three-metre wide gravel trail will connect neighbourhoods on the north side of Highway 33 with the existing trail near Black Mountain Elementary School, via the pedestrian underpass. Elements proposed include the construction of a pedestrian bridge over Gopher Creek, riparian enhancement planting, trail signage, benches and bollards.
g) Houghton Road Multi-use Corridor (50) – Funding was secured for the construction of the first phase of this recreation corridor from Nickel Road to Hollywood Road (approximately 1100 metres in length.) Funding is provided in part by senior levels of Government, with the City contributing one-third of the cost. Construction began in June of 2010 and will be complete this fall.
h) Lochview Trail (66) – construction of an portion of the Lochview Trail within the Sheerwater subdivision was undertaken in 2009/2010. Extensive rock mitigation, earth stairs and guardrails were installed. Currently this section of trail is landlocked, but future phases will provide a continuous connection north from Paul’s Tomb trail in Knox Mountain Park, to Lochview Road, and beyond to the future Glenmore Highlands Trail ( 42)
i) Gordon Drive / Barerra Road Connection (44) – funding was secured from the City of Kelowna and the federal Infrastructure Stimulus Plan to construct the first phase of this multi-use corridor between Gordon Drive and Rotary Beach Park (1.9 km of off-road trail.) Construction began in July 2010 and is expected to be completed by November.
j) Abbott Street Recreation Corridor (1) - Phase 2B of the Abbott Street Recreational Corridor from Royal to Rose Avenues, funded in part by the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund, was completed in 2010. As with the existing recreation corridor this project was designed to increase the safety by separating different modes of transportation and slowing traffic in the area. This phase of the Abbott Street Recreational Corridor offers many functional and aesthetic improvements including: landscaping, on-street parking, a 3 metre wide bike lane and 2 metre wide pedestrian walkway.
k) Cawston Avenue Recreation Corridor (20) - The 1400 meter connection will provide a safe and convenient link from the Rails with Trails corridor (93) to the downtown waterfront and Cultural District. Completion is anticipated in November 2010. The 4 meter wide off-road walking/cycling corridor will include pedestrian crossing signals, curbs and gutters, and a landscaped boulevard. Constuction costs have been funded by both the federal Infrastructure Stimulus Plan and the City of Kelowna.
