Okanagan VALLEY Multi-Use Pathway

Hello:
I would like to share with you a project that I am working on. If you have managed to reach this site, you are most likely already using the Okanagan Recreation Corridor as your personal jungle gym. I would be preaching to the converted and so will keep the window dressing to a minimum.

On February 2, 2011 I made a presentation to the Summerland Rotary Club on the concept of building a paved multi-use pathway between Summerland and Penticton. Through the use of large, annotated satellite images, and my own photography I talked about the reasons why this project makes so much sense. The response from this first service group presentation was positive. This club is waiting for the final plans to see how they can participate.

Imagine beginning a cycle journey at the SS Sicamous in Penticton. From there you would proceed along the Rosegarden pathway and cross the Okanagan River Channel on a rebuilt bicycle friendly bridge on the Okanagan Lake level control structure. Using a new, paved cycle path situated on the unused Highway 97 Roadbed that begins at the north end of Redwing Community you would proceed northward through the Truck pullout, 3 small parks to SunOka. After a quiet ride through the back roads of Trout Creek you pick up the pathway again at the Illahie Campground.

How realistic is this concept? At their final meeting of 2010, the Summerland Town Council voted unanimously to move their section of the pathway to engineering, planning and sourcing of provincial funding. MLA Bill Barisoff’s response was more than positive. One would expect that of a person who was involved in the creation of Oliver’s +20KM Okanagan River paved pathway. Regional Highways Management have been consulted, and again, have responded favorably.

Please read on..

The RDOS is developing a plan to create a north - south trail network that would include the +20KM Oliver Okanagan River pathway, unused rail beds on the west side of Vaseaux Lake and Skaha Lake, the Pencticton JC's Channel pathway and other smaller active projects. Imagine being able to cycle from Osoyoos to Summerland on a paved auto free route - truly a world class objective. This is an objective that is achievable without mortgaging our children's future.

Add to this concept a new pathway that will begin at the SS Sicamous in Penticton and run north to Summerland. This is entirely possible if the unused highway road bed along the lake is converted to a multi-use pathway. This is such a simple and low cost suggestion that people are asking "why has this not already been created?" This proposed paved multi-use pathway would take advantage of the existing investment in the engineered road infrastructure and so the completion costs would be minimal. The benefits? Endless, and would pay back for generations.

My intent is to develop critical mass on this project as soon as possible. Please take the time to check out these photos on my facebook account. You can make this project a reality if you take the time to tell the people below and IN YOUR OWN WORDS, but don’t shout, that this project is important and should proceed THIS SPRING! Why wait?

Summerland Mayor Janice Perrino jperrino@summerland.ca
MLA Bill Barisoff bill.barisoff.mla@leg.bc.ca
MP Stockwell Day days1@parl.gc.ca

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=322815&id=661138351&l=1a410e520e

Don Gemmell
Summerland



Tourism is better. They pay for their rooms and you don't have to lock them up at night. Let's build Okanagan Tourism.

I support any plan that involves building more bike paths.

Don I think its a great "do-able" idea whose time has come.

Surveys
The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen has contracted Cascade Environmental Resource Group Ltd to create a Regional Trails Master Plan. We are currently in the early phases of the process and we are seeking public input to help guide us through the rest of the plan. As members of the local community you can expect your responses to be taken into consideration as we provide recommendations for future management directions of the regional trail resources.