More Okanagan Lake access slated for Vernon

Vernon residents should have one more place to head for a swim this summer after council approved a site near Adventure Bay to be developed to allow lake access.

The site is one of five lake access points slated to be developed over the next two years.

The site slated for lake access sits west of Adventure Bay at 9030 Tronson Rd. and currently has a rough track leading down a steep cliff to the water. The 700-metre trail currently has a 90-metre elevation down to the water. How the lake access will look is not yet finalized, but is likely to include several parking spots along with signage and garbage bins.

"What I see here is a lot of waterfront development in 2021… it's great," Mayor Victor Cumming told the meeting.

City staff had recommended that councillors tour seven high priority lake access sites around the city and then report back on which sites to develop.

However, Cumming said he wanted to get going on the file and amended the motion to instruct staff to commence on the development of the Tronson Road site as soon as possible. The mayor had the full support of the council behind him.

The Tronson Road site is one of five lake access sites currently in various stages of development by the City. The move is part of a long-term plan that started in 2016 to give residents more access to the lake. In 2019, the current council put forward a plan to develop one lake access site per year during its tenure. The plan budgeted $400,000 for each site.

Following a preliminary review, the site at 9030 Tronson Rd. has been identified as the most viable for construction, according to a staff report.

While four other sites are in the development process, these access points on Okanagan Landing Road and Tronson Road have more constraints, including adjacent property encroachments, steep grades and drainage. A staff report warns that the higher level of complexity may require more time for design and could lead to increased costs.

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