Okanagan Rail Trail (submitted photo/ORT)

By Pete McIntyre

deal in place

Rail trail on track for completion by this fall: GVAC chair

Mar 10, 2023 | 1:10 PM

A Greater Vernon politician is pleased to hear that the final undeveloped portion of the Okanagan Rail Trail (ORT) could be completed later this year.

The City of Kelowna is seeking interest from companies to complete a 6.4 kilometre section of the recreation trail north of the Kelowna Airport from Old Vernon Road to 500 metres north of Beaver Lake Road.

In February 2022, the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB), City of Kelowna and District of Lake Country announced a memorandum of understanding that allowed OKIB to provide access to the rail trail once the federal government added the lands to reserve, allowing the final link on the popular trail to be completed.

That section has been off-limits to the public since the facility opened in 2018 due to a land ownership transfer involving OKIB, CN Rail and the federal government.

Bob Fleming, the director for Electoral Area B (Swan Lake/Commonage) of the Regional District of North Okanagan and chair of the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee, confirms an agreement has been reached and tenders will be issued, but it may take some time to get the project done.

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“My information is that it may not be completed until September, so were not looking for an immediate start to construction, but the tenders will go out,” Fleming told Vernon Matters.

Fleming said it sounds like not all of the paperwork has been done, but he believes OKIB and the federal government have an agreement.

Local governments and the province spent $22 million to buy the 49 kilometre former rail line between Coldstream and Kelowna from Canadian National in 2015, while a public fundraiser generated more than $7.8 million.