Since the three-year deadline has passed for Lake Country to repay Kelowna for its investment in part of the district害羞草研究所檚 section of the Okanagan Rail Trail, interest is now accruing.
A deal was made between the municipalities in 2015, as the district purchased the rail trail lands through its borders at a cost of $5.2 million, a contentious purchase that went to the public twice in 2015. First, an Alternate Approval Process failed before the district went to a full referendum, which passed in April of 2015.
害羞草研究所淭he Lake Country portion害羞草研究所� $2.6 million of that was paid for by the City of Kelowna in exchange for 50 per cent interest in the property, so we have a 50 per cent interest on title in the lands that are registered in Lake Country,害羞草研究所� said Kelowna city manager Doug Gilchrist.
The district planned to sell portions of land near Gable Beach to pay off some of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 interest in rail trail lands, but that motion was defeated by council after residents fought against it for the conservation of public beach access. Approximately $1.1 million of the proposed sale would have gone towards reducing Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 interest.
READ MORE: Gable Beach and the Okanagan Rail Trail
害羞草研究所淭o date, they害羞草研究所檙e working on it, but we haven害羞草研究所檛 been paid yet,害羞草研究所� said Gilchrist. 害羞草研究所淲e would hope they follow through on their commitment to pay the city back. Obviously, we have other priorities that we could be allocating to our own citizens to see that funding so we害羞草研究所檙e anxious to see that repaid.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e haven害羞草研究所檛 made any sort of hard and fast requests for payment at this time,害羞草研究所� he said.
The trail was purchased for $22 million from CN Rail and split between Kelowna, Lake Country, the Okanagan Indian Band and the Regional District of the North Okanagan.
Lake Country has about 16 kilometres of the 49 km trail running through its borders.
The district害羞草研究所檚 strategic and support services manager Matt Vader did not give details on what is in the works for Lake Country but said he is positive about the progress the district is making.
Lake Country害羞草研究所檚 intention had been to sell a surplus of railway properties.
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e talking about surplus to the railroad right of way so there were lands that had accrued to the railroad because of greater right of way width that isn害羞草研究所檛 necessary for the trail, so we have to raise those of separate titles and then be sold,害羞草研究所� said Mayor James Baker.
Despite the trail害羞草研究所檚 grand opening Thursday at the Oyama Boat Launch, three sections of trail remain closed: at the beginning of Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 section, on Okanagan Indian Band land between Kelowna and Lake Country and in the North Okanagan害羞草研究所檚 end section.
Dogs are to remain on leash on the trail, and horses have been banned, despite protests from Lake Country residents.
READ MORE: Lake Country residents rally for horses on Okanagan Rail Trail
The communities fundraised $7.8 million for the project in just three years.
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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