FILE PHOTO - Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park as seen from West Kelowna.
Image Credit: WIKIPEDIA
February 10, 2022 - 10:50 AM
The B.C. government is adding 21 hectares to an Okanagan provincial park to better wildlife habitat.
The provincial government has announced today, Feb. 10, the land would be added to Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park near Kelowna to “enhance wildlife connectivity and species protection, along with the addition of the Golden Mile Trail for recreation,” according to a press release issued by the Ministry of Environment.
The 21 hectares of land, located at the north section of the park, were received as a donation in 2020 as part of a rezoning and subdivision process and will provide a buffer between the park and the adjacent residential subdivision, according to a statement from the ministry.
The section of land will be used to create a buffer between a residential zone and Okanagan Mountain Park.
Image Credit: Ministry of Environment
Two hectares of Crown land that is currently “within” the donated parcel will also be added to the park and currently serves as the start of the Wildhorse Canyon Trail.
Legislation has been introduced to expand the parks and protected areas system, contribute to existing ecosystem conservation and expand opportunities for outdoor recreation.
Additions will be made to 12 provincial parks. Boundary modifications to correct administrative errors and address safety issues will also be made at Burnt Cabin Bog Ecological Reserve, Big White Mountain Ecological Reserve, West Arm Park and Omineca Park, the ministry said.
READ MORE: New four-season campground opens in one of B.C.'s busiest parks
"People's desire to interact with nature has never been greater. Parks provide the opportunity to connect with nature and strengthen our physical and mental well-being," Environment Minister George Heyman said in the release.
In the last four years, the province has added more than 1,700 campsites to provincial parks and recreation sites, including the new Skyview Campground in E.C. Manning Park, which has 62 fully serviced campsites available in winter and 92 sites in summer.
The province also recently acquired two properties that are intended to be added to the popular Tribune Bay Provincial Park on Hornby Island. The properties include the last remaining beachfront on Tribune Bay and an existing private campground with approximately 135 sites.
— This story was updated at 4:54 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, to provide more information on where the park's new boundaries are located.
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