Work on a linear park along Mill Creek can continue to proceed after council approved a draft plan on Monday.
A park along the lower portion of the creek from Parkinson Recreation Centre to Okanagan Lake will take 20 years to build, council heard.
Projects are divided into short term (1-5 years), medium term (5-10) and long term (10-20), a report to council explained. Short-term projects include permanent and temporary trail connections. In the medium term, the focus will be on establishing permanent infrastructure and additional amenities. Long-term projects 鈥渟hould focus on building out the visual identity and character of the corridor,鈥 the report says.
The linear park would link with a series of community and neighbourhood parks that already exist. In fact, improvements to one of those small parks, on Burne Avenue, are just about complete, said Keith Pinkoski, senior project landscape architect for the city.
The park will run alongside properties that are near the creek.
鈥淲e have a couple people in the gallery and they can鈥檛 ask questions today,鈥 said Coun. Maxine DeHart. 鈥淭he residents that have their properties abutting our linear park 鈥 can still put up fencing on their own properties for privacy, is that correct?鈥
That鈥檚 correct, she was told.
Coun. Rick Webber noted there will be some sections where there鈥檚 not enough room for a trail beside the creek and the pathway will move on to residential streets.
Also correct, was the response.
Webber wondered how many people鈥檚 backyards will go right up to the trail.
A specific number wasn鈥檛 provided, but city administrator Doug Gilchrist responded: 鈥淭here鈥檚 some real sensitive ways to do it.鈥
The city has experience dealing with property owners along Mission and Brandt鈥檚 creeks 鈥 and there will be consultations with the landowners as the project proceeds, he said.
鈥淭rails enhance property values,鈥 noted Coun. Gord Lovegrove.
Councillors Luke Stack and Charlie Hodge were enthused about the project.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great plan. I only wish we could do it faster,鈥 said Stack.
Plans call for a gateway to be located where the creek meets Okanagan Lake: 鈥淭he site will include a redesign of the adjacent dog park and could extend along much of the north side of Mill Creek.
鈥淓cological enhancement is proposed at the mouth of the creek, including enhanced creek habitat and interpretive elements.鈥
City staff also proposes a linear park on the upper portion of the creek. There鈥檚 no start date for that, but it won鈥檛 take as long, said Pinkoski.