Parks, projects, and major events: Kelowna 2025

The City of Kelowna went all-out in 2025, taking on multi-generational building projects and rolling out major events and programs at an unprecedented pace. 

Numerous new parks, kilometres of new or revamped roadways, ramped-up operational programs and high-visibility national events made 2025 a year of action and advancement. 

The City and Council set a big goal of investing in infrastructure projects to build community, connection, and to contribute to the local economy. More than 130 projects were identified at the start of the year worth $150 million – 50 per cent more than the City’s investments in 2024. 

Here are some major highlights from an action-packed and eventful year, starting with our great outdoor public spaces: 

• Redevelopment of the Parkinson Recreation Centre started in March as part of the Building a Stronger Kelowna (BSK) initiative. Other projects in the BSK program include new all-ages activity centres in Rutland, Mission and Glenmore, optimization of the sports field in Rutland, and advancing community partnerships for shared facility use with partners like Okanagan College and Okanagan Regional Library. 
• This year, 23 park projects were underway, including upgrades to washrooms, accessibility improvements, irrigation renewal, playgrounds and other park improvements 
• Broke ground on Tennis Canada Dome at Mission Recreation Park  
• DeHart Park opened to the public in May 
• Waterfront Park Stage reopened in June, with expanded capacity and flexibility for events and festivals 
• Strathcona Beach Park unveiled three new inclusive play structures in June 
• In collaboration with three syilx artists, new community artwork was installed at the Knox Mountain Park first lookout in June 
• The City Park dog run, Kelowna’s first accessible dog park, opened mid-summer  
• Summit Park on Dilworth Mountain opened in August 

Kelowna enjoyed an incredible year of high-end events and laid plans for even more high-profile events that showcase Kelowna as a charming host capable of staging sophisticated productions. 

• The Canadian Country Music Awards Week took over the city for September and brought in $11.7 million in direct spending and created thousands of jobs 
• The Brier Men’s Curling Championship drew more than 89,000 spectators and had an economic impact of $15.2 million in support of local businesses, restaurants, and hotels 
• Olympic qualifiers for a dozen national teams vying for a spot at the Milano Cortina Winter Games 
• Canadian Football League’s announcement that Kelowna will host two games during a week of football celebration 
• Preparations underway to host the Memorial Cup junior hockey championship with $3 million invested in Prospera Place upgrades, including a state-of-the-art scoreboard 
• Kelowna attained a new status as Canada’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy 
• Kelowna Community Theatre hosted 200-plus performances, 90,000 patrons 
• Established new ticketing partnerships with sports organizations, theboxoffice.ca  

Some nuts-and-bolts investment might not be as fun as a football game or awards show, but are fundamental to maintaining Kelowna as a place where people want to live, work and invest. 

• The Bertram Multi-use Overpass opened in June, linking Bertram Street to Rowcliffe Park for pedestrians and cyclists. It integrates into the broader active transportation network, fostering safer, more sustainable mobility for all 
• The first phase of the Frost Road extension is complete, and construction was completed on the roundabout at Chute Lake Road 
• Completed a new roundabout at Valley and Kane roads 
• Pavement resurfacing on 20 lane km of roadways  
• Completed 660 metres of new sidewalk  
• Completed the functional design of Clement Avenue multi-modal extension corridor and proposed a partnership delivery model to the Province 
• Enhanced traffic safety infrastructure, with traffic calming, light signal technology and numerous pedestrian safety projects 

Public safety makes up nearly 25 per cent of the City’s operating budget. It is a top priority for Council and the City’s administration, an area of focus where Kelowna has taken a leadership role among Canadian municipalities in advocating for systemic changes in the judicial system to address root causes of “revolving door” criminality in communities across the country. 

• The advocacy work also led to the activation of a regional secure, compassionate care facility in Kelowna, currently under development 
• Increased RCMP patrols (foot, bike, ATV, boat) expanded to Rutland, Pandosy and Mission neighbourhoods  
• New Outdoor Sheltering Management Strategies included significant decampment operations 
• A successful first-ever neighbourhood evacuation exercise as part of the region’s emergency planning practices. 

Some more notable accomplishments from 2025 include: 

• Expected passenger growth in 2025 at Kelowna International Airport to be more than 2.3 million passengers  
• YLW also increased air service frequency and destinations, including new and expanded transborder and regional destinations 
• Received funding for 37 new public electric vehicle chargers  
• Contributed $1.65 million from parking revenues to reduce taxation demand 

During a time of national and international questions about the how to navigate the challenges of 2025, the City of Kelowna boldly invested in the community’s future and wellbeing with these strategic investments. 

It has paid off with great new community assets, programs and experiences that solidify Kelowna as a leader in municipal development and management.