Council defends park build
Wayne Moore - Feb 20, 2018 - Biz Releases

Image: City of Kelowna

Kelowna councillors admonished some members of the public who believe they are dragging their feet on the build-out of Centennial Park in Rutland.

The Rutland Park Society transferred ownership of the park to the city in 2015. The city agreed to develop it into a community park, with amenities such as paved pathways, multi-cultural garden space, sports fields, and a performance stage.

The first two phases of the four phase build were complete in 2016 and 2017.

At the request of council, staff came back Monday with cost estimates for Phase 3, and indicated the final phase would be included as a Priority 1 project in 2022.

That, apparently upset some in the community, who accused council of delaying the project.

Council shot back.

Mayor Colin Basran defended the city’s plan to complete the build-out in 2022, saying it’s still far ahead of other properties the city has owned a lot longer.

“You have to remember where it’s come. The park society that was running the park ran it into the ground,” said Basran.

“The improvements made, while not in as grand a scale as some people expected, is far better and far more inviting than what was there before. I think sometimes that is lost in all of this.

“We were able to move it into the capital plan, ahead of projects like Cedar Avenue, like other areas of the community we get accused of as favouring, when in this case that isn’t even factual.”

Coun. Gail Given, said there appears to be a perception within the community that when a master plan is complete, you’re doing everything.

That isn’t the case she said, pointing to City Park and Stuart Park master plans which don’t look like their respective master plans.

“We always do our park development in phases,” said Given.

Coun. Luke Stack added Centennial Park is moving ahead of other park projects such as DeHart Park, Cedar Avenue and Glenmore.

What council did approve Monday was the expenditure of $75,000 for design and development plans for Phase 3.

The third phase, which is estimated to cost about $500,000, would include expansion of the existing playground, multi-cultural garden area, entry plaza, park signage, additional asphalt pathways, and site furnishings such as bike racks, picnic tables, benches and trash receptacles.

Council was also told the expansion of the Shephard Road transit exchange, which will run between the park and Centennial Hall, is expected to be complete in the summer.


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