New Clement Avenue median removed following complaints from RCMP

KELOWNA – A median installed by the city in Kelowna’s north end just last year had to be removed recently because it was making it hard for RCMP employees to get in and out of the new detachment's parking lot.

Manager of transportation engineering Gordon Foy says installation of a median on Clement Avenue at St. Paul Street was part of the widening of Clement Avenue so the price to install it is unknown.

Returning the area back to the way it was however, will cost taxpayers between $10,000 and $15,000 – a small number compared to the new $40 million RCMP Police Services Building that the median was impacting.

“A couple issues came up, including the RCMP building, some of their access is off St. Paul,” he says. “That part was limiting their abilities to get in and out of the site.”

Increasing demand for westbound Clement Avenue traffic wanting to turn towards downtown is the other issue.

“That area of town is going through quite a bit of development… it’s likely to become more like downtown over time,” he says. “There is a desire in the future to put a crosswalk on St. Paul so we would have had to cut through the median. There were some benefits to bringing back that left turn.”

The project is expected to be finished this month, if the weather cooperates.

Most of the cost, Foy says, was spent on paving, paint and a few signs. 

To contact a reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.