Okanagan Rail Trail close to halfway mark of fundraising goal

OKANAGAN – The Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative has received a large grant from the province and is almost halfway to its fundraising goal of over $7.8 million.

The Initiative recently received a $500,000 grant from the provincial government's Rural Dividend Fund, and when added to all the donations so far, about $3.2 million has been raised since the campaign began in May 2016.

The grant money will be used to to create safe trail and road crossings for the trail in the North Okanagan and Lake Country, according to a Rail Trail Initiative media release. Additionally, the money will be used to build test sections, which will help determine how the rest of the trail will be constructed.

“Even if you can’t actually see it, things are happening,” rail trail ambassador Brad Clement says. “Bridges have been inspected, survey’s are ongoing and minor construction is underway.”

Spanning a total of 48.5 kilometre, the estimated cost of the first phase of the trail is $7.86 million. The trail will run from Coldstream to Kelowna, with 24 km following the lake shoreline and creeks.

The City of Kelowna has also applied for funding from Bike B.C.

Find more stories on the Okanagan Rail Trail here. 

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