South Art Walk between Doyle Ave and Queensway
Project Overview: The City of Kelowna is developing an outdoor pedestrian walkway as part of a larger, urban corridor within the heart of Kelowna’s Civic District. The walkway is envisaged as a series of cohesive outdoor spaces that can be programmed to elevate the visibility of culture and entertainment for a growing resident population and Downtown workforce.
The pedestrian walkway termed the South Art Walk is intended as a southerly extension to the original Art Walk located outside of The Rotary Centre for the Arts, between the historic Laurel Packinghouse and the Rotary Arts Common. The remaining North Art Walk will be completed pending development of the property at 350 Doyle Avenue.
Project Scope: The South Art Walk project will entail two principal segments that span from Doyle Avenue to the Queensway Transit Exchange.
The first segment of the South Art Walk will include:
- New raised pedestrian crosswalk across Doyle Avenue.
- New pedestrian bulbs to reduce crossing distance.
- New 4.0 metre-wide, pedestrian walkway.
- New way-finding signs, site furniture and lighting.
- Removal of parking stalls adjacent Memorial Area to accommodate a pedestrian walkway through the City Hall parking lot.
- Removal of unhealthy and damaged tree plantings to be replaced by higher limbed trees to improve walkability beneath.
- Removal of some on-street parking stalls at the crosswalk location, with new parking stalls added once the current City Hall parking lot entrance on Doyle Avenue is closed.
- Parking along Memorial Arena will be removed, with new and accessible stalls added elsewhere in the lot.
- Replacement and upgrade of existing cast iron water main from Doyle Avenue to City Hall and Kasugai Gardens.
- Installation of casing for future installation of glycol line to Memorial Arena.
The second segment of the South Art Walk will include:
- New 4.0 metre-wide, pedestrian walkway.
- New wayfinding signs, site furniture and lighting.
- Introduction of additional trees and plant materials – in relationship with the Kasugai Gardens.
- Surface improvements to existing plaza adjacent City Hall.
Timeline: The project is being designed in 2025/2026 and is scheduled for construction in spring 2026.
Project Benefits: The South Art Walk was designed principally to i) maximize safety, and ii) create positive animation of the urban realm from Doyle Avenue to the Queensway Transit Exchange.
Other public benefits include:
- Adapting existing character of the original Art Walk while revising furnishings and lighting.
- Prioritized inclusion and user comfort.
- Provisions for pedestrian ‘pauses’ through nodal experiences.
- Bringing awareness to other cultural features within the Civic District.
- Integrated opportunities for artwork and artful expression.
- Maintaining all existing, healthy mature trees wherever possible.
- Continued and enhancement of existing access requirements to adjacent land uses.
- Improving the interface of Kasugai Gardens along the Art Walk.
- Providing for ease of maintenance and cost-efficient operations.
- Considered design and constructability for this, and future phases, of the Art Walk.
- Improved drainage on Doyle Avenue and within City Hall Parking Lot.
- Water main and improvements.
Construction Impacts: Construction activities are anticipated to occur in 2026. Residents, businesses, and others impacted by construction will be provided with notice in advance.
