Major expansion of Trail of the Okanagans expected next year

It’s going to take until later this year to get the funding in place to complete a key link on a multi-use trail from Kelowna to Osoyoos.

The Trail of the Okanagans Society is waiting, first of all, to get federal funding for an off-road route from Peachland to West Kelowna next to the steep Drought Hill.

That’s expected shortly, society president Janice Liebe told iNFOnews.ca. Once that’s in place, they can apply to the province for the rest of the funding in the fall.

“There are a bunch of balls in the air that are starting to come together,” she said. “We are very very hopeful and positive that we will be able to build the section between Peachland and Goats Peak Park next year.”

Some of the other “balls in the air” include a regional district plan for Kalamoir Regional Park, expected later this year. She expects that will include a multi-use pathway through the park from Campbell and Benedict Roads to Sunnyside Road.

The City of West Kelowna is also looking at ways to improve connections from there to Goats Peak.

The Trail of the Okanagans plan is to, ultimately, connect Osoyoos to Kelowna and, from there, to the Okanagan and Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trails.

“We’re focusing on creating longer lengths of trail so we’re focusing from the north to the south,” Liebe said. “That’s why the (Bennett) bridge down to Peachland is a big one. As soon as you get longer trails, you have more people out riding and you’re connecting communities. We have the greatest opportunity there.”

The next big piece is 29 km from Osoyoos to Gallagher Lake, north of Oliver.

“There’s a few sections where it has to go through highways,” Liebe said. “We’re looking at those next – whether we go up to the highway or whether we find an alternate route. I can’t really say where it’s going to go right now. We’re just trying to investigate what the opportunities are.”

A route past Vaseux Lake is on hold while the society focuses on those two big sections.

Also missing is the link from Penticton to Summerland through Penticton Indian Band land. Liebe understands that the band has bought the old Kettle Valley Railway right of way though that section.

“The band has not started to have a conversation on what they want to do with their land,” Liebe said, noting they are also concerned about liability through that section, especially since some of the rail line has eroded.

The other challenging piece is along the historic Fur Brigade Trail from Summerland to Peachland. There is archeological work to be done there and some steep hills that, with e-bikes, are not as serious an obstacle as they once were thought to be.

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