If you have ever wondered why downtown Kelowna has so many gravel shoulders and thought it was because the city is too cheap or lazy to pave them you\u2019d be wrong. Those gravel shoulders are part of the drainage system, a relic from before this was the fastest growing city in the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Kelowna\u2019s population has exploded over the last few decades the city has had to prioritize what infrastructure gets upgraded, and gravel shoulders still serve as an effective drainage system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe gravel shoulders are part of our drainage infrastructure, and it’s a legacy from 100 years ago. We started off with gravel roads, and then we came in later and added pavement to the road, but we didn’t pave the whole thing. And today, we’ve kind of morphed a lot of those into gravel shoulders, which allow drainage to go down into the soil,\u201d the city\u2019s manager of utility planning Rod MacLean told iNFOnews.ca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The gravel shoulders are typically in neighbourhoods with single family homes that have lawns that also serve to soak up rain water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Gravel shoulders are simple, natural drainage infrastructure that allows rain water to soak into the ground and doesn’t need to be upgraded yet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Central Okanagan\u2019s population hit 247,000 in 2023 and is expected to keep on growing, according to the most recent report from the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission. BC Stats expects the Central Okanagan to grow to roughly 350,000 people by 2040, and Kelowna\u2019s population is expected to hit 180,000 by 2040.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
MacLean said since the city is growing so quickly it\u2019s financially responsible to prioritize upgrades by building what is necessary when it\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n