Plans to build a pedestrian overpass over busy Highway 97 in downtown Kelowna are being moved up from 2030 to 2021.

(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)

KELOWNA - A Highway 97 pedestrian overpass to be built in 2021 is one of the major proposed changes to what the City of Kelowna plans to spend over the next 10 years.

“The overpass, which was previously scheduled for 2030, is a Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure requirement for rezoning of the Central Green development and will allow access across Highway 97 and increase connectivity to and from downtown,” states the report, written by infrastructure engineering m anager Joel Shaw.

The city received a one-time gas tax payment from the federal government and will use $3.7 million of that money to help pay for the $6.5 million project. The pedestrian overpass was always in the plans, but not so soon.

The 10 Year Capital Plan is revised every year to take into account changes in construction costs, priorities and the fact that it brings in a new year of proposed spending on roads, parks and buildings.

The document will be presented to city council Monday for comment before being finalized.

The 10 Year Capital Plan outlines $1.24 billion in what is called Priority 1 spending. Some of that has no direct impact on taxpayers because it’s covered by things like water, sewer, landfill and airport fees while developers kick in about 16 per cent.

These items are considered to be fully funded, even though 13 per cent of the money will have to be borrowed and another 13 per cent will come from future taxes.

The much talked about infrastructure deficit of $478 million has actually been reduced to $398 million, in part because a new infrastructure tax will bring in $54 million over the 10 years.

That deficit is for what’s called Priority 2 items – things that aren’t funded but that the city feels needs to be built

• SOME OF THE PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS
• Parkinson Recreation Centre replacement and field relocation costing $94.1 million from 2021-24
• Capital News Centre, two new ice sheets and a multi-use facility costing $25.7 million from 2020-22.
• Mission Activity Centre construction for $9.9 million from 2024-25.
• City Hall renovations (five projects) for $13.7 million from 2019-25.
• North Glenmore Fire Hall, $10.3 million from 2024-25.
• $84.8 million to buy more parkland and $33.1 million to develop it, including $3.7 million for Glenmore Recreational Park by 2020, $4.5 million for DeHart Park by 2023 and $2.3 million for South Pandosy Waterfront Park by 2027.
• Transportation projects will cost $228 million, including $2.9 million for the Begbie Road connection from Wilden to Glenmore Road, fully paid for by the developer.
• Many roads will be upgraded but Burtch is planned to connect from Byrns to KLO in 2025 for $6.2 million. Major connections for the South Perimeter road will take until 2028 and cost more than $23 million.
• There are also $42.2 million worth of “active transportation” projects planned, with $10 million of them being built this year (mostly the Ethel and Sutherland bike lanes).

SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WON’T GET BUILT WITHOUT MORE FUNDING

• $5 million is in the plan to buy land for a new downtown parkade but the $7.7 million to build it in 2025 is not available.
• $6.4 million in Apple Bowl renovations hoped for in 2020-21.
• $4.3 million in Elks Stadium renovations planned for 2023-24.
• $5 million for a Mission Recreation Field House in 2020-21.
• $8.6 million for a Parkinson Recreation Centre parkade in 2022-23.
• $18 million for a Kelowna Art Gallery “envelope replacement” in 2024-25.
• $7.1 million to replace the Martin Centre in 2021-22.
• $3.3 million to build a downtown cultural centre in 2021.
• $67.6 million to replace Kelowna Community Theatre in 2025-27.
• $3.6 million to expand the new RCMP building in 2026-27.
• $5.7 million for a KLO Fire Hall in 2027-28.

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