FILE PHOTO - Skaha Lake Park is pictured in this file photo. Penticton's parks master plan has been approved by city council.

(STEVE ARSTAD / iNFOnews.ca)

PENTICTON - Mayor Andrew Jakubeit expressed hope closure had been reached on a long running and divisive issue in Penticton with the approval of the long awaited Parks and Recreation Master Plan this afternoon.

Council expressed thanks to the volunteers responsible for the first city parks update in 25 years, in a process that began on March 7, 2016.

Jakubeit expressed congratulations to those who “stuck to it,” as well as the city societies that contributed to the update.

“It’s a good day,” he said, noting the long awaited plan updated terms, defined the public process for dealing with parks and “helps put closure on an issue quite prominent in our community."

"It’s good to close this chapter of our history,” he said.

Jakubeit was referring to plans made largely behind closed doors in 2015 to contract a portion of Skaha Lake Park to private contractor Trio Marine Group for 29 years, with a proposal to build a waterslide among other things.

Master Parks Committee chair Ron Ramsay said highlights of the three-year long update included unanimous agreement about what the city’s parks should be. The project concluded parks were essential and must be protected.

Some city parks shouldn’t be considered for any other activities, while others need to be thoroughly vetted when defining use, Ramsay said. City parks must be affordable, they must keep up with trends and the city needs to acquire more parks and natural spaces in particular neighbourhood parks, as well as establish connectivity to parks within the city.

Urban Systems consultant Catherine Berris said key Penticton park themes included protecting park land, providing amenities to keep up growth and respecting financial consideration of the community when purchasing and planning parks.

Berris said Penticton was “doing OK” when it came to the number of parks compared to population but noted gaps in neighbourhood parks and connectivity between parks in the city, urging council to “protect what you have and try to get more.”

Council also approved a new park dedication bylaw, and park land protection and use policy, in addition to approval of terms of reference for a parks and recreation advisory committee.

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