A bigger, better Strathcona Park in the works

KELOWNA – A proposal to replace an old house on Abbott Street could mean the public finally has access to a currently inaccessible part of Strathcona Park.

The owners will go before council Jan. 13 and ask permission to replace the house currently there with two new homes. The subject property is within the Abbott Street heritage conservation area near Kelowna General Hospital.

The proposal includes a new waterfront pathway connecting Strathcona Park to the Abbott Street recreation corridor, according to a report by the Urban Planning department

“As part of the rezoning, the applicant will be required to provide for a sidewalk along the south side of Royal Avenue between the pocket park and Abbott Street. This presents an opportunity for improved pedestrian connectivity between the waterfront and the Abbott Street recreational corridor,” the report says. “The applicant undertook neighbour consultation by individually contacting the neighbours. No major concerns were identified during this consultation. To date, staff received correspondence from one area resident who expressed some concerns with the proposed design.”

The 120-metre long piece of waterfront is owned by the city but blocked by man-made and natural obstacles so people can't walk to the lake.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.