Kelowna's Newest Waterfront Park - Phase 1

The development of the new waterfront park for the Pandosy neighbourhood at Abbott St. and Cedar Rd. is a multi-year project that was endorsed by Council in 2014, following extensive public engagement. Final naming of the park will come in 2024.
Timeline

Preliminary design - Fall 2020
Site investigation and abatement - November 2020
Online information session with final design review (getinvolved.kelowna.ca) - November 2020
Approvals and permits - 2021
Demolition of existing structures - 2021
Construction start - Spring 2022
Construction completion - Spring 2023

2021 involved demolition of City-owned houses, which uncovered archeological artifacts. Work was put on hold while Archeological team investigated the site and provided suggested working areas and construction methodology.
2022/23 construction will include urban beach, misting area, waterfront green space with picnic tables, timber/gravel/paving stones and concrete park pathways and plaza, lighting, plantings, trees and landscape features. Parks plaza includes park benches, bike stands and basketball hoops, with the parking lot accessible at corner of Meikle Ave and Walnut St. Additionally, shoreline restoration will be undertaken to address erosion concerns, as well as a public pier and floating dock will be constructed (as a separate project) to access non-motorized boats only, which will be equipped with a universal accessibility kayak launch for disabled users and slip-resistant gangway to transition from pier to floating dock.
Improvements in future phases (subject to required approvals and budget availability) will include the build out of the remaining park at north end in conjunction with Kelowna Paddle Center including Abbott Street Frontage.
Final design - information session
An in-person, public information session was planned to share the final design of the Waterfront Park and construction schedule, but due to important safety measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic, this information will be shared in an online format.
In place of a public information session, the final design and construction schedule for Waterfront Park will be shared through Get Involved!

Background

A public engagement process that delivered a Council endorsed site design for the seven City-owned properties to the north of Cedar Avenue was completed in 2014. At the time it was decided not to sell two properties in order to maintain a larger park area and with no funding available, development of the Park did not proceed. Funding is now possible as part of the Park Development - Development Cost Charge Bylaw Amendment (2020) and Grant Funding.