Chamber pushes province to purchase park land

The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce continues to press the B.C. government to consider a proposal to expand Ellison Provincial Park south of Vernon.

The business group has written to Environment Minister George Heyman, requesting an update on B.C.
Parks potentially purchasing the 234-acre Chelsea Estate adjacent to the park on Okanagan Lake.

Chamber president Kristin Kempton says while they understand the province’s limited budgets and competing priorities, which were cited as reasons not to pursue it by the province. But they also want to reiterate an expansion of the park would bolster tourism, particularly as the sector has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There is also a tremendous opportunity to protect ecological and recreational values for future generations,” Kempton said.