Current Projects
Westside Multi-Use Pathway
News Release April 8, 2025
Peachland Receives Grant to Complete
New Westside Multi-Use Trail
Peachland cyclists and pedestrians will soon have a safe connection to Goat’s Peak in West Kelowna thanks to new funding from the BC Ministry of Transportation.
In early 2024, Peachland was awarded up to $420,236 through the BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants (BCAT) Program to build Phase I of a new 2.8 km multi-modal trail between Peachland and Goat’s Peak. This project also received a $356,400 grant from the Government of Canada’s Active Transportation Fund.
On March 31, while construction of Phase I is underway, the Province announced an additional BCAT grant of up to $500,000 for Phase II of the multi-use trail.
“We are so pleased the Province sees how important this project is for our community, and also the Government of Canada, through these active transportation grants,” said Mayor Patrick Van Minsel. “This is a very special project because it not only connects the two communities of Peachland and West Kelowna with a safe, multi-use pedestrian and cycling pathway, but it is also a critical link in the multi-use path networks that are connecting the communities from the North Okanagan to the South Okanagan.”
The Westside Multi-Use Trail will begin just north of the intersection of Highway 97 and Buchanan Road in Peachland and end near the Seclusion Bay Road underpass under Highway 97 near the boundary of Peachland and West Kelowna. It is made up of short sections of protected off-street multi-use pathway adjacent to Highway 97, off street multi-use pathways and a stretch of neighbourhood bikeway along Drought Road.
The Peachland to Goat’s Peak Multi-Use Trail will tie into a 250km multi-purpose trail system that will span the Okanagan Valley. Three trail systems are close to connecting the communities from Sicamous in the North to Osoyoos in the south with the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail, the Okanagan Rail Trail and The Trail of Okanagans. A fully connected trail system is expected to have a profound economic impact for the region and communities along the system and vault the trail system to one of international significance.
BC Active Transportation and infrastructure grants provide cost-sharing opportunities for the development of active transportation infrastructure for all ages and abilities, aligning with the provincial strategy for cleaner, more active transportation to reduce carbon pollution and improve the health and wellbeing of BC residents.
The District has already received funding through the federal Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities’ Active Transportation Fund of the Permanent Public Transit Program. This grant will support up 60% of the total eligible costs (up to $356,400). Both funding streams can be accessed concurrently for this project and the District of Peachland has included its portion of the project cost in the current budget. The District has committed to up to $500,000 to the project.
Construction of the new multi-use pathway is expected to be complete by the end of May 2025. Watch for news of an official opening ceremony in the coming weeks. Stay informed by signing up to receive email notification from the District at www.peachland.ca/subscribe.
More information:
- Government of BC News Release, March 27, 2025 – BC Active Transportation Infrastructure Grants
- www.trailoftheokanagans.com
Turner Park Upgrade
The Turner Park Upgrade project is well underway with more construction expected to begin this Summer in the upper tier of the park. Improvements completed to date include new player benches and upgraded baseball dugouts, upgraded backstop, and upgraded park fencing along Turner Avenue. The playing field has been seeded and is closed to the public as the turf takes hold to a degree allowing for competitive sports. Council agreed to apply some of the Growing Communities Fund grant it received to upgrade the playing field.
The remainder of the upgrade project will begin this summer and will include:
- New set of viewing bleachers for the baseball diamond
- Removal of the old playground and replacement with new (see note on the design below)
- Connection of the washroom to the sanitary sewer system
- Accessibility improvements to the washroom building
- Removal of the sports box asphalt and fencing and replacement with grass
- Improvement of the parking area
- Irrigation installation
- Accessible pathway installations
- Public benches, waste receptacles and accessible picnic tables
- Vegetation and shade structure installations
The Turner Park Upgrade project is funded through a portion of the $2.7 million received in April from the Province’s Growing Communities Fund and a Jays Care Foundation grant. Turner Park is expected to be fully open, with the field ready for competitive soccer, in the Spring of 2025.
The park is fenced to keep people and pets from entering the park and possibly damaging the turf which will be tended throughout this growing season by Operations staff, ensuring it is in prime shape for its first game!
Coordinated by the District of Peachland, the students of Peachland Elementary took part in a DOT-MOCRACY, voting by using stickers, on three potential designs for the new playground in Turner Park. Students overwhelmingly voted in favour of one design in particular (pictured below). Council enthusiastically supported the students’ playground style choice at its meeting April 9.
Project Background
The land for Turner Park, located at 6114 Turner Avenue, was acquired by the District of Peachland on March 30, 2021. The 3.34 hectare (8.26 acre) property was formerly owned by School District #23 and is one of the only remaining undeveloped properties able to accommodate athletic fields and other park amenities requiring flat land. The District of Peachland is looking to dispose of the lower site of the property fronting Princeton Avenue, which leaves a balance of 2.25 hectares (5.5 acres) available for parkland. The Turner Park Concept Plan will build on the findings of the 2018 Parks and Recreation Master Plan and the 2020 Community Park Concept Plan: Sanderson, Heritage and Cousins Park to:
- Assess community needs and desires for park space and amenities;
- Identify the need for future amenities relative to use trends, population growth, and demographics;
- Assess feasibility for park development;
- Create concept drawings (30% working drawings); and
- Provide recommendations for implementation including cost projections, phasing and potential funding sources. Infrastructure updates that have been completed are;