Image Credit: Contributed/ Okanagan Rail Trail
March 08, 2019 - 10:00 AM
KELOWNA - Completion of the Okanagan Rail Trial is one step closer with an agreement to fence and gate the unfinished section through the Eldorado Ranch, but the Agricultural Land Commission still has to give its consent.
Andrew Gibbs, the City of Kelowna Senior Project Manager said that a memorandum of understanding was signed with the ranch owners yesterday, March 7.
He expects the Agricultural Land Commission will review the agreement soon and give its official consent.
It will mean the installation of six-foot high chain link fencing and two gates as the ranch currently has two roads crossing the rail line.
Gibbs did not have a cost estimate for that work but expects it to be covered by the donations and grants used to construct the rest of the Rail Trail as this work was included in the original budget.
No work on the trail will be done until the Okanagan Indian Bands’ adjoining section is turned over to them by the federal government and band members approve public use of the trail.
That’s not expected to happen until late this year.
The hope is that the entire 50 km trail from Kelowna to Coldstream will be fully open early next year. Right now, the missing section is about three kilometres from Old Vernon Road to Lake Country, along Duck Lake. The only alternative route is Highway 97.
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