PENTICTON — The City of Penticton has achieved a significant Waterfront enhancement milestone, after the final fence sections were removed along the west Okanagan Lake walkway allowing the public to walk along the entire path for the first time.

“We are thrilled with the Okanagan Lake walkway enhancements. The new path way is safer, more accessible and provides a much better user experience,” said Mayor Garry Litke. "Residents and visitors will enjoy the new walkway for generations to come, and this was the vision set out by Council in making waterfront enhancement a strategic priority."

The final cleanup was conducted on Monday, following the finalization of the seven-month project that was completed over two phases for the one-kilometre, multi-use path.
The final concrete placement near the SS Sicamous occurred during the holidays and required at least a week to cure under insulated covers. Ice had formed on the new walkway due to the cold weather, causing a slight delay in opening. But warm weekend temperatures melted any slippery sections, making the area safe to open to the public.

"The waterfront is a critical piece of Penticton's identity. The new path honours the importance of Okanagan Lake, and is now truly a space that celebrates the community’s vibrancy," said Litke. "The community could hardly wait for the fencing to come down, and within minutes were walking along the path. That is the true test of success."

All the trees have been planted, all streetlights have been wired in and are operational, and street furniture, signage and picnic tables have been installed. Most of the angle parking is fully open to the public from The Peach to the SS Sicamous, and remaining paved parking areas or landscape sections will be completed in the spring.

"We thank the public for their feedback on this project. The City was able to build a better walkway as a result of their input, and it is really encouraging to see so many people using the path already," said Mitch Moroziuk, Director of Operations.

The public is welcome to use the new waterfront walkway. An official opening will be held later in 2014, with details to be announced later.

News from © iNFOnews, 2014