YLW buys Shadow Ridge

Photo: Contributed - Shadow Ridge Golf Course

Kelowna International Airport now has the assets available for an expansion to the south.

The city today announced the purchase of Shadow Ridge Golf Course, directly to the south of the airport.

The purchase price for the nearly 84-acre site was $5.4 million.

"The opportunity arose, and council decided to act on it," said Mayor Colin Basran.

"It's far better to be proactive rather than reactive. When we are actually going to need this land is going to be a few years in the future. But, if current trends continue, the land is going to be a lot more expensive in the future."

Purchase of the property doesn't mean expansion of the airport runway is imminent.

Airport manager Sam Samaddar said, while expansion is part of the overall master plan, he can't forecast when that will be.

"It's really predicated on our growth. We have some traffic projections, but if we grow much faster than that, then that will have a greater impact on our facility," said Samaddar.

"If it's a slower growth rate, then the impact won't be immediate."

In the meantime, Shadow Ridge will remain a fully operational golf course.

"Our members can continue to expect the same great experience at Shadow Ridge," said general manager Dan Weddell.

"Membership, rates and amenities will remain unchanged as we transition ownership to the airport."

The current operator of the golf course will remain in place through the 2016 season.

The city will soon look for a third-party operator for the course in 2017 and beyond.

Funding for the purchase was provided through airport reserves. No tax dollars were utilized.

Join the discussion