City spends $12M to acquire land for park and transportation link

The City of Kelowna has announced the purchase of a 1.94-acre property located at 1910-1960 Dayton Street to extend Sutherland Avenue from Dickson Avenue to Dayton Street and create a future park space.

Derek Edstrom, Divisional Director of Partnerships and Investmest, said the acquisition is a great opportunity for the city to advance public amenities to support a densifying neighbourhood and ensure it will become a vibrant and livable hub for residents and workers.

“The future extension of Sutherland Avenue and creation of a new park, will provide capital infrastructure to enhance the connectivity, mobility, and livability of this area, while also protecting and restoring a valuable greenspace,” Edstrom said.

The city paid $12.3 million for the property.

The city said the land on Dayton Street will enable the city to further key infrastructure improvements within the Capri-Landmark Urban Centre in the future. Until then, the city will work closely with current tenants to maintain leases and rent agreements.

The future park is intended to be the principal greenspace within the Landmark District’s highly urbanized setting which would provide opportunities for passive and active recreation.

The long-term extension of Sutherland Avenue (Gordon Dr. to Spall Rd.) will provide new protected cycling lanes, transit access, and wide sidewalks for people living and working in the area. The extension will also enhance access to the surrounding major road network.

A portion of the property also contains a creek named ‘Ritchie Brook’ which currently flows through the property underground. One of the key considerations of the Capri-Landmark Urban Centre plan is to transform this creek into a natural asset by ‘daylighting’ the creek.

The $12.3 million purchase of the 1.94-acre property was funded from the Transportation and Park Acquisition DCC capital budgets.

The Capri-Landmark Urban Centre Plan was endorsed in 2019.

Learn more about local area plans at kelowna.ca/communityplanning.