Greater Vernon taxpayers could be pumping big bucks into a provincial park. The Ministry of Environment wants to expand parking at the Kekuli Bay Provincial Park boat launch, and it is seeking $230,000 from the North Okanagan Regional District. “We see a benefit to the Greater Vernon area and its residents,” said John Trewhitt, protected areas section head with B.C. Parks, If NORD agrees to the $230,000, a new 28-stall parking lot for single vehicles would be constructed, while the north parking lot would be expanded and paved to create 23 truck/trailer stalls. Gyula Kiss, Coldstream director, is willing to consider the expenditure. “Originally the regional district contributed to the (development of the) park and we have some kind of interest there,” he said. That is also the view of Wayne Lippert, a Vernon director. “It gives us an opportunity to increase lake access, particularly when Kalavista has issues,” he said of congestion at NORD’s boat launch in Coldstream. However, Lippert wants further details on the Kekuli Bay launch before agreeing to funding. “A lot of our residents use it but we need to know local use compared to people camping,” he said, adding that he also wants to know if the government will improve vehicle access off Highway 97. Kiss believes further use at Kekuli Bay could move boats farther into the lake and away from Greater Vernon’s water intakes at the north end. It’s anticipated that NORD’s potential contribution would only come from Greater Vernon jurisdictions.
B.C. Parks is proposing a total of $750,000 in improvements to the boat launch area. As part of phase one, the government has committed $545,000 towards enlarging the south parking lot, reducing the grade of the boat ramp, relocating the existing dock and adding a new dock, and relocating the works yard. That project should be done by the end of November. “There are some issues with the functionality of the launch — the ramp grade and the dock space,” said Trewhitt. “At peak times, it can be quite congested there.” Phase two would be completed in the spring or fall of 2011 if the regional district agrees to provide funds. If the money doesn’t materialize, the project could be shelved.
“We would look at whether we carry on with that component,” said Trewhitt.
1 comment:
Perhaps the writer of this article should have gone out and checked the Kekuli site.
Just three days before the long weekend July 1, 2010, the parking area was in fact upgraded, new docks were purchased and stored at the managers site just above the the boat launching area and the pile driver was there to install same.
The only upgrade that took place was the new paved area for parking, with the docks and pilings were not installed.
Sounds to me like the yellow caution lights and speed signs on Hwy 97 at the turn off to Predator Ridge were more important (rightly so). But the funds spent for all the pilings and floating docks and not installed in 2010, should be questioned.
Perhaps there was no Photo Op because of the opposition to the HST and they put the upgrade on the back burner until 2011.
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