Paddle corridor floated for Kalamalka Lake in 2021

A paddle corridor along the west side of Kalamalka Lake is being considered in 2021 budget discussions by the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC).

The Greater Vernon Trails and Natural Spaces 2021 capital budget has $100,000 set aside for the trail corridor.

It would use buoys as markers and provide paddlers with a safe corridor on the shore side of the buoys to reduce the conflict between motorized and non-motorized recreation.

The trails would likely be done in two phases: the Kalamalka Lake project next year to coincide with the District of Lake Country plans to come north with a series of buoys to connect up the corridor.

The swimming area would also likely be enlarged, as the buoys can be placed twice the length of the Rotary Pier into the lake to prevent motor boats from coming too close to shore.

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“It could be quite a bit farther out, potentially to where it cuts off access to some lakefront homes,” Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick said. “It would mean that power craft would be more in the middle of the lake, which would improve water quality at the Kal Lake intake.”

A second phase would involve a corridor along the east side of Okanagan Lake, strictly for non motorized vessels.

“Powered water craft are way too close at Kin Beach,” Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming said. “There were buoys set up for a water ski slalom course just outside the swim area this summer.”

With the growing popularity of human-powered water craft like paddle boards and kayaks, there has been growing concern with regard to protection from motorized watercraft.

“I don’t think, from my observations as a paddler, that motorized boat operators have very much respect for those in human-powered craft,” Cumming said. “I think there will have to be a significant education component when this is introduced.”