Plans for westward expansion of Skaha Park in Penticton may be abandoned at next council meeting

Photo: City of Penticton

A long-pondered expansion to Skaha Lake Park could be axed at the next Penticton city council meeting.

City staff are recommending that parks land designation for eight properties in the 200 block of South Beach Drive be lifted.

The addresses are currently single-family homes, and while the city had planned to purchase the properties to grow the park, the ever-growing price of waterfront real estate has stymied those plans.

The city currently owns 298 South Beach Drive, and staff have decided the best way forward is to sell that and revert the other properties to residential land use, directing the profit to other projects.

"The vision of expanding the park through the acquisition of these properties dates back to 1990,” said director of development services Blake Laven.

“Rather than continue to tie up these funds in one isolated property, this proposal would make those resources available to advance other parks priorities that would benefit the wider community.”

The vision of acquiring more of the properties is unlikely to come to fruition.

"Based on the history of the city-owned property, and the fact that over nearly three decades the parks vision for these lands has not been realized, it is not anticipated that the city would acquire six more private properties on South Beach Drive and transform them all into public parkland," reads a report from city staff member Steven Collyer.

"The sale of the subject lands and the substantial return the city should receive for the waterfront land will allow for more strategic purchases in other areas, where land values may be less."

Council will debate the staff recommendation at Tuesday's meeting. If it is supported, the next step will be a review of the proposal with the community through a public engagement process, and input from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

Photo: City of Penticton