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City of Kelowna won’t open the gates as lakefront hotel locks public out of boardwalk
The City of Kelowna and the Hotel Eldorado are once again feuding over public access to a strip of boardwalk, but the city said it won’t go in with bolt cutters.
The dispute over the Eldorado boardwalk has been going on for years, with a court judgement giving the public access to it, but the hotel has again locked people out for months.
The boardwalk was closed in July for repairs, which the city said would be complete in September. Then the city said the repairs were supposed to happen in October, but the work was never done and the gates remain closed.
“Unfortunately hotel management continues to restrict access to the site – including access for construction crews to do the repair work that was identified last year. We continue to explore all legal options to resolve,” the city’s media relations manager Tom Wilson told iNFOnews.ca in an email.
The city has been advised not to take matters into its own hands.
”In the meantime, based on direction from the city’s legal team, we have decided not to remedy via self-help, i.e. unilaterally cutting locks, removing gates, etc,” Wilson said.
The lakefront Hotel Eldorado initially closed its boardwalk back in 2021 by locking gates on both ends to keep the public out. Then, the issue went to court with judges ruling that the gate had to be kept open for the public and upholding the public’s right to use the lakeshore.
While the city isn’t taking any direct action itself, Wilson said that “talks continue.”
There are some misleading signs on the fencing blocking the boardwalk which read “as per the City of Kelowna” even though the city said hotel management is blocking lakefront access.
The hotel also tried to discourage people from accessing the boardwalk in December 2024 by posting signs that said “boardwalk closed due to winter conditions,” despite a lack of snow or ice. But, people could walk right around them.
Management at the hotel and its parent company Argus Properties were unable to be reached for comment.
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One response
This has gone on for far too long. The City has a duty to stand up for the taxpayers of Kelowna. So to compelling them to open it. Seek special costs so that this sort of action by Argus Properties is not just a cost of doing business. This is appalling behavior by a long time business. I have stayed at the Hotel Eldorado more than once but I will not be doing so again until this is addressed.