Wrapping up the rail trail

By Kate Bouey - CASTANET Oct 3, 2017 / 5:00 am

The northern end of the Okanagan Rail Trail could be completed this year, according to Bob Fleming, the chair of the North Okanagan Regional District board. Last week, it was announced that construction was set to begin on just over half of the 48.5-kilometre trail, including 12 km within Coldstream and Electoral Area B. “At first, rock scaling was supposed to take place but now it appears that rock scaling and construction will be underway at the same time,” said Fleming. The Electoral Area B representative said he believed about 13.5 km lay within the North Okanagan region and he was hopeful that all of the work to get it ready for hikers and bikers would be wrapped up this fall.“I'll have to check that but it appears to be the case.” As weather permits, crews will build approximately 26 km of the trail with compacted crushed aggregate between now and the end of November, with five km being completed in Lake Country and nine in Kelowna. The balance will be completed in the spring. "Construction is underway," proclaimed the Okanagan Rail Trail fundraising website. It showed approximately 31 kilometres had been funded through donations.

Members of the public have a chance to view the latest plans at three information sessions, including today, Oct. 3 at Coldstream Municipal hall, Oct. 4 at the George Elliot community complex in Lake Country and Oct. 5 at Parkinson Rec Centre in Kelowna. All three are scheduled to run from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Tax Dollars For Rail Trail?

Vernon, BC, Canada / 1075 KISS FM Pete McIntyre September 08, 2017 05:40 am

A local politician would like to see the North Okanagan portion of the Okanagan Rail Trail, fast tracked. Greater Vernon Advisory Director and Coldstream mayor Jim Garlick says current development of the trail is dictated by the amount of funds being raised by the non profit Rail Trail Society. He says there may benefits to using public funds to finish it off quicker. “It could involve using public money, so we could look at the idea of a referendum, or tax dollars, or an alternative approval method,” Garlick tells Kiss FM. Garlick says the public wants to see the 12 kilometres of trail in the RDNO area up and running as soon as possible. “We got a good deal on that trail, $1.9 million for several kilometres of lakefront, and I think now, to get it up and useful is important. I think the public wants to see that.” Under the current schedule, the northern portion could be completed by next summer. “We need to talk with the fund raisers, and see how they feel about it, and if they’re fine with it, then we push this a little faster,” says Garlick. GVAC chair Juliette Cunningham says she would like to see more information on what’s required from RDNO staff. “We have to work within certain guidelines with Ministry of Environment, so we’ll get that report back. And if it looks like it’s something we could expedite, we can decide at that point if we want to provide the funds to do that, and recover it through the continued fundraising,” Cunningham told Kiss FM.
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Say Of The Day (Final Results)

Would you support using public funds to finish off the RDNO portion of the Rail Trail quicker?

• Yes (20)
• No (60)

Land purchase narrowly pases in Coldstream

by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star Coldstream posted Nov 15, 2016 at 8:00 AM
It was close, but Coldstream is moving towards buying land. In a 3-2 vote Monday, council gave three readings to a short-term borrowing bylaw to acquire two acres on Kalamalka Road, between Dutch’s Campground and the Vernon boundary. “People need to think of the vision of the property and it’s to support the rail trail,” said Mayor Jim Garlick. Garlick and Councillors Pat Cochrane and Richard Enns voted for the bylaw, but opposition came from Councillors Glen Taylor and Gyula Kiss. Taylor took issue with the $550,000 cost. “We had talked about this before at a different price. We agreed to stay within our allotment,” he said. “A new price has come up and I’d like to see all of council here.” Councillors Doug Dirk and Peter McClean were absent Monday. For Kiss, he had several concerns about taking over the site. “What will we do with it and what will the cost be of developing it?” he said. It’s been suggested the property could eventually support the nearby Okanagan Rail Trail as a parking and staging area, with possible commercial uses and green space. “It’s just securing it at this time,” said Garlick, adding that discussions could be held with the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee. “It could be paid for by more than Coldstream.” As for Taylor’s questions about the price, Garlick says there were offers and counter-offers between the district and the owner. “Unfortunately, Coun. Taylor missed a meeting,” said Garlick. “The price we’re paying is reasonable and well below the assessed level.” Besides short-term borrowing, the purchase is being funded through existing reserves. Final adoption of the borrowing bylaw will go before council in mid-December.
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Also See: http://vernonblog.blogspot.ca/2016/11/rail-trail-prompts-coldstream-land.html
https://coldstream.civicweb.net/FileStorage/F8911BCE0F234A74A49F7EC968EDB595-161108_Cncl%20Rpt_Short%20Term%20Borrowing.pdf
Recommendation: THAT the District of Coldstream Short Term Capital Borrowing Bylaw No. 1689, 2016 be read a first, second and third time by title only; AND THAT the 2016 budget contained in the 2016 - 2020 Financial Plan be amended to reflect the acquisition of property l<'>cated 16506 Kalamalka Road for $550,000 funded from Parks DCC's at RDNO {$200,000), Land Sales Reserve Fund {$100,000) and Short Term Capital borrowing {$250,000).

Rail trail prompts Coldstream land purchase

by Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star Coldstream posted Nov 11, 2016 at 7:00 PM— updated Nov 11, 2016 at 8:07 PM

Coldstream insists a land purchase allows it to prepare for the future. The district has a tentative deal to acquire two acres on Kalamalka Road, between Dutch's Campground and the Vernon boundary, for $550,000. “The acquisition of the property at 16506 Kalamalka Rd. will provide a key piece of land in support of the anticipated growth of usage along the Okanagan Rail Trail” said Mayor Jim Garlick. “The economic activity generated by users of the rail trail will benefit Coldstream and the region and we need to be prepared for that. This acquisition better prepares Coldstream for the future.” Trevor Seibel, chief administrative officer, says more information on potential land uses will be forthcoming over subsequent months. The purchase is being funded through existing reserves and short-term borrowing, and the short-term borrowing bylaw will be on Monday's council agenda.
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https://coldstream.civicweb.net/FileStorage/F8911BCE0F234A74A49F7EC968EDB595-161108_Cncl%20Rpt_Short%20Term%20Borrowing.pdf
Recommendation: THAT the District of Coldstream Short Term Capital Borrowing Bylaw No. 1689, 2016 be read a first, second and third time by title only; AND THAT the 2016 budget contained in the 2016 - 2020 Financial Plan be amended to reflect the acquisition of property l<'>cated 16506 Kalamalka Road for $550,000 funded from Parks DCC's at RDNO {$200,000), Land Sales Reserve Fund {$100,000) and Short Term Capital borrowing {$250,000).
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https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/34822/161111_16506%20Kalamalka%20Road_Media%20release.pdf?handle=49CDC9E5DEC74D93B435841FEAB4DE51

Sued over Rail Trail

By Wayne Moore - CASTANET Oct 19, 2016 / 5:00 am

A former Kelowna city councillor is suing the District of Lake Country. Colin Day filed suit in BC Supreme Court last Friday. The suit was filed after the municipality served notice it was expropriating a portion of Day's property to make way for the Okanagan Rail Trail. The trail is part of what was once the CN Rail track, which stretches from downtown Kelowna north to Coldstream. The line runs through Day's property and that of a neighbour in Oyama. In the suit, Day says Lake Country expropriated a "20-metre wide section of the former rail corridor lying parallel to, and adjacent to, the east property boundary, extending the entire length of the former rail corridor – namely approximately 740 feet for the project." He further claims the loss in value, damages and disruption exceeds compensation in the amount of $286,500 and mitigative measures in the amount of $7,000. Day is seeking market value for the expropriated land, injurious and severance damages, disturbance damages plus costs, interest and penalty interest. An amount is not provided. Through an agreement with CN Rail, Day had first right of refusal to purchase the portion of the line that bisected his property once it ceased being rail line. Day exercised that option. He said the original corridor is just three feet from his house, on the side the bedroom is on.

Fundraising Begins This Week

107.5 KISSFM POLL - Results 
Would you consider donating around $150 to build a metre of the new Okanagan Rail Trail?
Yes 52.8.%
No 42.0%
Any amount should be good 5.1%

Posted on 5/16/2016 8:15 AM by Ron Manz 107.5 KISSFM

'Building it one-metre at a time". That is the goal of the Okanagan Rail Trail fundraising initiative that is launching officially Wednesdsay. The initiative hopes to raise $7.86 million dollars to help construct the 48.5 kilometre trail network from Coldstream to Kelowna. The Rail Trail's Brad Clement says they hope to convince everyone to donate at least $150.00, the cost of construction of one metre of trail. "What is is going to take is each of us giving a donation of $150 or whatever amount we can afford whether it's more or less that, and then us asking our friends and neighbours to do so and then them asking their friends...as long as we create that network, we could have this money raised in a couple of years." Clement says getting service clubs and other organizations exciting about joing their efforts is also crucial. "There's been discussions with most of the Rotary's up and down the valley and Lion's Clubs and there's all kinds of people that are contacting the foundation and the municipalities already. We say it's going to take a community to build this legacy and that's what it's shaping up to be." Clement says it will be a basic design to begin with and won't be paved."It will be 4.6 metres wide with proper drainage and built basically to road standards, so once this first phase is in we can see how people are accessing it, what the traffic count is and then paving can be done in the next phase and obviously you start paving where the trail is most active." If they can raise $3-4 million this summer, construction on the trail could begin by the spring of 2017.
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Also See A sneak peak at a possible future for the Okanagan Rail Trail
By John McDonald INFONEWS.ca

Ambitious fundraising campaign pitched for realization of Okanagan rail trail

By Charlotte Helston INFOnews.ca April 18, 2016 - 3:30 PM
VERNON - Greater Vernon politicians have been told it will take a community to build the legacy of a 50 kilometre rail trail from Coldstream to Kelowna — and it’s no overstatement. Those working on the trail, which will follow the old CN Railroad, have proposed an ambitious fundraising campaign for the $7.68 million required to build the path, plus roughly $100,000 in administrative fees for handling donations. The current plan is to pay for the construction of the trail without using tax dollars. Roughly $1.2 million is being sought through grants. Brad Clements, with the Okanagan Rail Trail non-profit organization, told the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee today, April 18, "it takes a community to build a legacy." “We believe we can do it by inspiring all of the community,” Clements said. The team will be looking to businesses, clubs and organizations to help champion the trail. Donations will be handled by the Community Foundation of the North Okanagan and the Central Okanagan Foundation. “The key to raising the $7.86 million is that the entire community embraces this,” Clements said. “That we have champions in every community out creating excitement around the trail. That we have campaign partners hosting events, and raising awareness, and that we talk to our neighbours and our neighbour’s neighbours.” Clements says 30,000 donations of $225 a piece would be needed to accomplish the fundraising target. Depending on participation, Clements believes it’s possible to meet the goal in two years.

Details about the construction timeline and overall look of the trail were also presented at Monday’s meeting. Andrew Gibbs with the Inter-Jurisdictional Team, which represents the municipalities of Kelowna, Lake Country and the North Okanagan, said the goal is to open the trail up for public use as early as possible. That will mean focussing on basic trail functionality items first, and integrating things like public washrooms and interpretive facilities in the future. At the outset, the trail would feature crushed and compacted gravel with the possibility of paving it in the future. Planners are also proposing to widen the path to 4.6 metres to accommodate various users travelling in opposite directions. The plan is to build the trail all at once, rather than in pieces, once the funding is in place, Gibbs said. That will help minimize the risk of ending up with incomplete sections if funding dries up, resulting in some communities having finished sections of trail and others lacking.

Committee member Mike Macnabb expressed some skepticism about the fundraising campaign, stating he thinks it could take years to come up with the cash. “My concern was how quickly we can get to that point? Because if it’s going to be raised by public donations, it may take a long time to get there,” he said. Having purchased the trail alongside other municipalities, Macnabb says the regional district has an obligation to see the plan through. “At what point are we, as local government, responsible to pick up the shortfall?” he said. Rail trail planners are meeting with other jurisdictions today, and say as soon as they have approval from all local governments, they will launch the fundraising campaign and begin accepting donations. Committee chair Juliette Cunningham applauded the Rail Trail group for taking on the fundraising campaign. “I just think it’s incredible. So, we have to do whatever we can to work with you — that’s a lot of free labour to raise a lot of money,” Cunningham said of the volunteer-run group.

Big day for rail trail

by Kate Bouey - CASTANET Apr 18, 2016 / 5:00 am

An $8 million development plan for the CN Rail corridor goes before councils and boards Monday. Members of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee picked up their packages last week to review what is needed to prepare the 50 kilometres of former rail track from Coldstream to Kelowna. Development would include basic trail construction, signage, drainage upgrades as well as bridges and rock scaling where needed. Since the trail will be used primarily by pedestrians and cyclists, composition would consist of crushed gravel. But there will be differences along the trail which is expected to be developed using private funds, not taxpayers' money. “Kelowna has portions of its trail already paved,” pointed out Bob Fleming, electoral area B director. For the most part, the trail would be 4.6 metres wide, but not everywhere, according to Fleming. He said that measurement would be “difficult” in some areas north of Kekuli Bay. “There will have to be some flexibility. We'd be possibly looking for a minimum of three metres,” said Fleming. “We'd be challenged in skinny areas near the cliff.” The advisory committee is expected to recommend the North Okanagan Regional District board endorse the plan and direct staff to work with the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative which will be leading fundraising efforts.
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Link Below to Rail Trail Details:
Greater Vernon Advisory Committee
Re: CN Rail Trail
Monday, April 18, 2016 - 12:00 pm
AMENDED Agenda

Rail Trail Report at GVAC Meeting Monday 12 PM

Greater Vernon Advisory Committee
Re: CN Rail Trail
Monday, April 18, 2016 - 12:00 pm
Agenda

• AMENDED Agenda

Okanagan politicos to get first look at rail trail plans
By John McDonald INFONEWS.CA April 13, 2016 - 8:30 PM
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Councillors and directors from various communities will get their first look soon at what’s planned for the Okanagan Rail Trail. Project leader Andrew Gibbs says the inter-jurisidicational team armed with the latest plans for rail trail should start appearing before local councils next week. “All the way from Kelowna to the North Okanagan Regional District,” Gibbs says of the the multi-jurisdictional project. Gibbs says the team has drafted both a development plan and a fund-raising plan, which could result in the trail being developed in stages as money is raised. Initial plans will focus on providing a basic trail, four metres wide, from Kelowna to Coldstream, with common signage and road crossings. Previous estimates by the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative have suggested a price of $180 to $260 a metre or $10 million for the basic package. The initiative has vowed to raise the $10 million needed for basic construction of the trail. The 48-kilometre corridor is currently undergoing environmental remediation as part of the agreement for sale with CN Rail.

Public Input Next Stop For Rail Trail

Posted on 3/3/2016 by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM

Local governments are ready to roll out the public input process for the Okanagan Rail Trail. The plan is to develop a 47.5 kilometre trail on the former CN rail line between Coldstream and Kelowna. The communities of Kelowna and Lake Country, and Regional District of North Okanagan, along with the province, paid 22 million dollars to buy the track last year. Project Manager Andrew Gibbs says open houses will be held to allow residents to see the plans and give feedback.

The first event will be March 14 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Oyama Community Hall, The Parkinson rec Centre in Kelowna March 15 from 4-6:30pm , March 16 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Winfield Memorial Hall, and March 17 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Coldstream municipal office. Residents will also be able to give input through an online survey at www.getinvolved.kelowna.ca. which will be open from March 14 to 27.

“The intention is to develop the corridor in phases, with the initial phase being construction of a gravel trail with road crossings, signage, fencing, and barriers to provide a basic level of safe and accessible use by pedestrians and cyclists,” says Andrew Gibbs, Inter-jurisdictional Development Team Project Manager. For more information on the corridor process, go to kelowna.ca/OKRailCorridor

Rail removal starts soon

by Wayne Moore CASTANET - Sep 3, 2015 / 5:00 am

Two Lake Country residents exercised their first right of refusal to purchase sections of defunct rail line crossing their properties. Meanwhile, negotiations between local governments and the property owners continue over the fate of the former CN Rail line. The sale of the nearly 50-kilometre corridor between Kelowna and Coldstream was concluded June 1, at which time two landowners, including former Kelowna councillor Colin Day, exercised their right of first refusal. That right allowed them to purchase the portion of the corridor which ran thorough their Crawford Road properties on the east side of Wood Lake. Day, contacted by Castanet Wednesday afternoon, said negotiations are slow, but continuing. At issue for him is the fact the proposed multi-use rail trail being proposed by member municipalities would sever his property in two. "It opens the question: where is our legal access? Where is the access to the lakeshore?" said Day. "Under the Canada Transport Act and the Railroad Act, when the railroad cut off the property, they had to provide lakeshore access." Day said the original corridor is just three feet from his house, on the side the bedroom is on. It would bisect 700 feet of property. "This has been our family home for over 30 years. We've raised the kids and the grandkids here," said Day, who insists he is trying to protect the property, not only for his family but for future generations. With the complexity of any agreement and resale, Day said the process will likely take some time to complete. He adds he is in favour of the corridor, but wants to protect his rights. Work could begin as early as this month on remediation of the rail line. According to conditions within the purchase, CN has 12 months from the date the deal was signed to remove all rails and ties and up to another six months to complete any environmental remediation. The City of Kelowna's chief negotiator, Doug Gilchrist, said work on removal of the rails and ties will begin as soon as CN awards the contract. That could happen sometime this month. Track removal will begin at the Kelowna end and work north. While that process is taking place, Gilchrist said communities will begin working behind the scenes on the next step. "We are working on figuring out what the community outreach will be. Planning, design, construction and that sort of thing. We will put together a similar committee to what we had in the past to do that type of exercise," said Gilchrist.

Communities unite over rail corridor

by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star posted Jun 19, 2015 at 1:00 AM
The bond between local communities has been strengthened through a shared vision. On Wednesday, representatives from the Splatsin First Nation and the North Okanagan and Columbia-Shuswap regional districts signed a memorandum of understanding during a ceremony in Sicamous. “Forty years from now, what we are doing today will have an impact,” said Wayne Christian, Splatsin chief. The agreement establishes the groundwork for the band and the two regional districts to pursue possible acquisition of the discontinued Canadian Pacific rail corridor from Spallumcheen to Sicamous. “We see the ability for common understanding,” said Christian. “There are lots of details to work out but the fact that we are in the same room is important.” Signing the agreement for the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District was chairperson Rhona Martin. “I hope this is the first step of many we walk together. Let’s get this thing going, it’s exciting,” she said. Representing the Regional District of North Okanagan was director Herman Halvorson. “It’s a starting point and we will work together on a vision of trails from Sicamous to Armstrong,” he said. The next step in the process will see all parties identify how purchase of the corridor may occur and how the necessary funds will be generated. “That’s the big question,” said Halvorson when asked about the potential cost. Christian is confident that a successful outcome can be achieved. “Look at eco-tourism and what it can offer the region and the world. There are economic opportunities for the whole region, including our people,” he said, adding that the corridor was a traditional route for the Shuswap and village sites are nearby. “It reconnects us with who we are as a people.” Attending the ceremony were dignitaries from the Splatsin, Enderby, Spallumcheen and Sicamous. “The potential for green tourism is huge and there’s the potential for other uses. In Enderby, we need to expand the highway,” said Greg McCune, Enderby mayor, who has praise for all of the parties involved. “We’re united as a group. Right from the start, the Splatsin have talked about the whole regional thing.”

Hearing into rail corridor status concludes

by Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star posted May 27, 2015 at 1:00 PM
Local communities and the Okanagan Indian Band are waiting for a judge's decision.The Supreme Court of B.C. civil hearing for the Okanagan Indian Band bid for an injunction into the sale of the rail corridor from Coldstream to Kelowna concluded Wednesday afternoon. "The ruling and reasons will be given by the judge on the morning of June 1," states a release from the group of jurisdictions who want to purchase the corridor, including the Regional District of North Okanagan, Lake Country and Kelowna. "Local governments will respect the ruling of the court and will issue a response once the result of the hearing is known." The OKIB asserts that 22 kilometres of the rail line that runs through the Commonage reverted to reserve land when it ceased to be used for railway purposes and cannot be lawfully sold. The Commonage Indian reserve was created in 1877 by the Joint Indian Reserve Commission, but the band says federal and provincial officials eliminated the reserve a decade later.

Dates set for Commonage rail court case

by Staff Writer - Vernon Morning Star posted May 5, 2015 at 10:00 AM
Legal action over the rail corridor along Kalamalka Lake is moving ahead. The chief and council of the Okanagan Indian Band, along with members of the OKIB, will attend B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver May 25 to 27 for the injunction hearing to stop the sale of the Commonage rail corridor. “Our legal team has confirmed these are the dates our application will be heard,” said Chief Byron Louis. “We have received the municipalities’ and CN Rail’s response and are waiting to receive the responses of Canada and B.C. to our statement of claim filed in March.” The OKIB filed a statement of claim in BC Supreme Court March 24 naming CN Rail, Canada, B.C., the District of Lake Country, the City of Kelowna and the Regional District of the North Okanagan as defendants, and asserting that 22 kilometres of the 50-kilometre rail corridor is not CN’s to sell. “The OKIB never legally surrendered the lands in question,” said Louis, adding that the public should get involved in the case. “Call your mayors, MPs and MLAs. When you learn about our case, the truth is hard, if not impossible to ignore.”

Rail Trail: Future Rapid Transit Line?

Posted on 4/29/2015 by Pete McIntyre 107.5 KISSFM
The former rail line between Coldstream and Kelowna could one day be the site for a light rapid transit line. Vernon mayor Akbal Mund says a public trail is the short term plan for the corridor, but he says the city of Kelowna sees it as a future way to get more cars off Highway 97, particularly those heading to UBC-Okanagan. "They've got the (university), which is growing immensely, and they can transfer all those students out there without having all those cars on the road. That will decrease the carbon foot print right away. That's what I see in the long term." Mund also says it would be great for Greater Vernon residents wanting an alternate way to get to the airport or Kelowna. "You know find a place to park, get on the train, get to the airport, get to Kelowna, take it back all the way. I know that's sort of Kelowna's little baby, they see it taking a lot of traffic off the road." Mund says the plan could be 30 to 40 years away though. With Lake Country now on board, local governments are moving forward to buy the former line from C-N for 22 million dollars. The deal is expected to be signed June 1. Vernon councillor Catherine Lord says the proposed trail will bring people to the area. "I've biked around Wood Lake and it was scary at one point. Now you're going to be able to follow that railway line. I think your going to find some industries growing up along the way," Lord tells Kiss FM. The Regional District of North Okanagan is providing 1.9 million dollars towards the purchase of the corridor, in partnership with Kelowna, Lake Country and the BC government.

UNOFFICIAL REFERENDUM RESULTS - LAKE COUNTRY

April 25, 2015 Unofficial Referendum Results

Lake Country, BC – A record breaking turnout of 4,462 voters, 47.9% of eligible electors, came out to have their say in the Okanagan Rail Corridor Referendum. The unofficial results of the referendum are successful with 3,336 votes indicating approval of the Okanagan Rail Corridor borrowing bylaw.

“The turnout for the referendum was outstanding and we are very pleased that residents in the community share our vision of the Okanagan Rail Corridor connecting communities and services of the valley,” said Mayor Baker.

“Designs, public consultation and operating models will be evaluated for developing the corridor, but it may be a year or more before the route is developed and the corridor is open to the public,” said Michael Mercer, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services. “We’d remind residents that while the corridor may be acquired as District-owned land it is currently not open for public use.”

The declaration of official results will be made on Monday at 4 p.m. at the Municipal Hall and a Special Council Meeting will be held at 5 p.m. in the Council Chambers to adopt the Loan Authorization Bylaw.

QUESTION PUT TO ELECTORS “Are you in favour of the District of Lake Country adopting Loan Authorization Bylaw (Okanagan Rail Corridor) 906, 2014 to authorize the borrowing of up to Two Million Six Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($2,615,000) to fund the purchase of a 50% share of 16 kilometres of the Okanagan Rail Corridor within District boundaries?”

OKIB to ‘slow down’ CN corridor purchase deal

by Kathy Michaels - Kelowna Capital News posted Apr 21, 2015 at 9:00 AM— updated Apr 21, 2015 at 10:15 AM
Whether Lake Country votes yes or no this week is a moot point to members of the Okanagan Indian Band. Dreams of a rail trail from Kelowna to Coldstream are far in the offing, considering a significant chunk of the land isn’t legitimately up for grabs, said Band Chief Byron Louis. Last month the band filed a legal injunction to slow the sale of the corridor until the matter of land title is cleared away. The injunction is expected to be dealt with in court before the sale goes through. “It’s to, more or less say, ‘wait a minute, let’s put the brakes on this’…There are more issues to be resolved,” Louis said Friday. “Move ahead on the sale of the other portion, but for the 20 kilometres of the historic commonage, we’d like to put that on pause.” The heart of the issue lies in B.C.’s history with First Nations commonage reserves. In flyers it has circulated, the band says the Commonage Rail Corridor is a portion of the land allotted to them by the Joint Indian Reserve Commission in 1877. Between 1886 and 1893 Canada and B.C. purportedly relinquished the band’s interest to the lands, but didn’t abide by the rules of the Indian Act when doing so. Therefore, the band claims the rights acquired by CN were limited to the use of the corridor for railway purposes only. “When KPR went bankrupt and CN decided to abandon the entire rail corridor, the Commonage Rail Corridor, like the Duck Lake portion, should have reverted to reserve land,” they say. If the courts support that claim, it means CN wouldn’t have the right to sell the stretch of land. Also, Louis said the land is of special significance to the band. “We had people who were still using it in the 1950s to 1960s, driving cattle to the south end of Vernon,” he said. “It’s not like we suddenly stopped using that area, or didn’t have an interest. We had aunts, uncles and family who put medicines through there, and there are fishing stations where the rail trail would be. There are a lot of connections to it.” Louis wants to make it clear that the band isn’t at odds with the community—just this plan. “We are doing a lot of great things together, just not this,” he said. A court date has yet to be set.

Provincial cash for rail trail

by Jon Manchester |CASTANET - Apr 7, 2015 / 8:47 am
The provincial government has pledged $7.2 million toward the purchase of the abandoned Okanagan CN Rail line. Premier Christy Clark announced the contribution this morning, which gives a major boost to the effort to create a recreational trail between Kelowna and Coldstream on the old rail right of way. "There are few places in the world that have more to offer outdoor enthusiasts than the Okanagan," Clark said in a press release. "By putting an unused rail line to better use, connecting communities as a cycling and walking trail, there will be even more reasons to get outside." The contribution supports the efforts of a municipal group including the City of Kelowna, regional districts of Central Okanagan and North Okanagan, districts of Coldstream and Lake Country, and the City of Vernon. The group has been negotiating to acquire the $22-million property from CN. Almost 50 kilometres of the discontinued rail line would be transformed into a trail that will offer cycling, hiking and other recreational activities along scenic vistas passing Kalamalka and Wood lakes. But the plan has not been without its detractors. An alternative approval process for borrowing the necessary funds derailed the process in Lake Country, where voters will now vote in a referendum on the matter April 25. The Okanagan Indian Band has also made a claim against a portion of the land, and two property owners along Wood Lake have first right of refusal to purchase the land adjacent to their properties in a deal struck with CN years ago. "We believe in the plans that the City of Kelowna and its partners have for this discontinued rail line and we think this project is a good investment for the local communities," said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone.

The right of way was part of the Kelowna Pacific Railway, which leased the track from CN and ceased operations in July 2013. In September 2013, CN began the formal process of discontinuing the remainder of the line. On Dec. 1, 2014, the City of Kelowna, on behalf of the affected municipalities, signed a negotiated sales and purchase agreement with CN for the discontinued portion of the line. "The purchase of the rail corridor by local government on behalf of the current and future visitors and citizens of the Okanagan is an important capital priority," said Minister of Agriculture and MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country Norm Letnick. "By making our intention clear to financially assist with the acquisition, I hope it will better inform residents of Lake Country as they consider how they will vote on the upcoming referendum." The commitment is contingent on a positive outcome of the referendum in Lake Country. If approved, the acquisition of the line will be completed on June 1. "This investment in our community is in support of an important project - a corridor for recreational activity in this wonderful region," said Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations and MLA for Kelowna-Mission Steve Thomson. "Through the efforts and investment of the project partners, a new recreational trail will be a highlight for these communities along the corridor."

2 have first right on rail

by Wayne Moore CASTANET - Apr 2, 2015 / 9:00 pm
The District of Lake Country has acknowledged it is aware of two property owners who have a right of first refusal on portions of the defunct CN Rail line running through Oyama. The municipality issued a brief statement on the process Thursday afternoon. In the statement, it says nothing has changed as far as the upcoming referendum is concerned or the process being undertaken by the inter-jurisdictional team tasked with negotiating with CN Rail. “The purchase price of the corridor includes the two right of first refusal properties but if those property owners exercise their right and purchase the parcels from CN first, the overall purchase price for local governments would be reduced by the equivalent amount and these funds can then be used by the municipality to purchase the parcels back from the owners,” said Michael Mercer, Director of Engineering and Environmental Services with the District of Lake Country. “The District is committed to ensuring continuity of the corridor and is optimistic this will occur through ongoing discussions with the landowners. The borrowing amount of the referendum will remain no more than $2.6 million.” The two property owners were awarded a first right of refusal from CN Rail. The inter-jurisdictional team will continue its due diligence, including finalizing the financing required for the acquisition. The District of Lake Country referendum on April 25 will continue as planned and its success is key to funding Lake Country’s portion and securing the asset for the community.

Okanagan rail corridor proponents pledge $5 million for community trail

March 31, 2015 - 1:07 PM By Charlotte Helston INFO-TEL Multimedia
VERNON - A citizens group has committed to raising $5 million to build a rail trail from Vernon to Kelowna if local municipalities secure the land. Brad Clements of the Okanagan Rail Trail Initiative says several community members have already expressed interest in making donations toward the creation of the trail. “People say, 'Let us know when it’s time for us to write a cheque,'” Clements says. “We don’t want to take any money until we know the future of the corridor.” Two anonymous supporters recently pledged a total of $350,000 toward the trail construction, which Clements estimates will cost around $7.2 million. “With the support we’ve seen from people, we’re confident we can raise $5 million in a community campaign. The reason we’ll go up to that amount is there’s a number of programs through foundations and federal government programs where they’ll match dollars for community infrastructure projects. We’re pretty sure that ($5 million) can turn into $10 million pretty quickly,” Clements says. While local municipalities inked a purchase agreement with CN Rail for the 47.5 km long corridor in December, the sale is not yet a done deal. Lake Country goes to referendum April 25 for its portion of the $22 million deal, and the Okanagan Indian band recently filed a land claim for a large portion of the corridor. “We always knew it would be a complex process, we knew unknowns would come along the way,” Clements says. “But what I keep seeing is strong support for this vision of a transportation corridor that will remain intact. I think everyone has that common vision, we just have to figure our way through these twists and turns in our journey to get there.” Clements says the Rail Trail Initiative has received over 10,000 emails of support and is confident it will be no trouble coming up with the $5 million when the time comes. “What we’ve said to municipalities is if you guys can agree to buy the land, if you do that, we’ll help raise the money to turn it into the trail so there’s no more burden to the municipality or to the taxpayers,” Clements says.