Phase 1 of construction of the long-awaited Pandosy Waterfront Park is underway

Photo: City of Kelowna

Two decades and several plans, debates, meetings, charrettes and protests later, work is finally beginning on Pandosy Waterfront Park.

The park, in the South Pandosy neighbourhood, went by Cedar Avenue Park around the turn of the century before undergoing the name change nearly a decade ago.

Site preparation is already underway with the demolition of several homes on the future park site. Debris from the houses plus certain dangerous trees or ones that can't be maintained within the new design, are being removed.

“Landscaping for the new park includes planting native shrubs and grasses that thrive in the Okanagan climate,” said project manager Andrew Gibbs.

“Site preparation is a major step toward construction which will begin in September.”

The first phase of construction, pegged at $4.5 million, will include an urban bench area, beach and picnic seating, pedestrian promenade, and access to the lake.

The final phase, a public pier, may be part of the budget discussions at the end of the year.

Click here for more information on construction.

Construction was originally scheduled for 2025/2026, however changes to the city's parks development cost charges allowed the project to be expedited.

The first phase is scheduled to be complete next summer.