Some of your favourite local B.C. Parks are expanding

A B.C. Parks program that acquires new land for British Columbia’s provincial parks will expand the boundaries of several parks in the Thompson – Okanagan this year.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change recently announced the acquisition of 650 ha of land valued at more than $9,710,500, acquired for B.C. provincial parks during the 2019-2020 land acquisition program.

The ministry works with partners in conservation and various donors to acquire the additional land on an annual basis.

In the Thompson – Okanagan, the following parks will benefit from additional land purchases this year:

Chasm Park near Clinton expanded with the acquisition of 101 ha, consisting of two inholdings within the existing park boundaries. The purchase is expected to reduce the risk of incompatible uses  and is valued at $420,000.

Lac Du Bois Grasslands, north of Kamloops, benefitted from a donation under the ecological gift program.
The donation consists of an eight hectare parcel valued at $50,000.

Okanagan Mountain Park, east of Peachland, saw the addition of a 21.2 ha parcel valued at over $1,000,000 donated as part of a rezoning and subdivision process to provide a buffer between the park and adjacent subdivision.

Skaha Bluffs Park southwest of Penticton will grow by 65 ha with the purchase of a parcel worth $1,035,000. The additional land will expand the park and protect threatened riparian and grassland plant communities.

Cathedral Park, west of Keremeos, added an additional 82 ha to its land base through the transfer of land to the park from Okanagan College. The acquisition of two inholdings will reduce the risk of incompatible uses within the park.

A province-wide list of park land acquisitions can be found here.

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