Local residents and tourists will soon have more Okanagan Lake beachfront to enjoy as the city of Kelowna announced the purchase of a waterfront property in the Mission neighborhood on Monday.
Located at 4214 Hobson Road, the heavily-treed 0.89-hectare property cost $4.4 million to purchase. The deal was completed on June 1, though the owner will remain on site until November 30. The city said public access will be restricted until then.
“The city is always looking to improve public access to waterfront property along Okanagan Lake, and this acquisition is in a really important location,” Mayor Colin Basran said in a press release. “As Kelowna continues to be an attractive place for citizens to live and a popular tourist destination, it is increasingly important to protect valuable waterfront property for parks and public access.”
The city said the property was purchased from the city’s development cost charge program for parkland acquisition. Located alongside the Central Okanagan Sailing Association at 4220 Hobson Road, the property is the latest to join the city’s waterfront network, including recently acquired Bluebird Park to the north and Sarsons Beach to the south.
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“(City) staff anticipate removal of the residence and site clearing in spring of 2019, with the objective of making the property accessible to the public as soon as reasonably achievable,” said City of Kelowna real estate services manager Johannes Saufferer. “Staff will also work with the Central Okanagan Small Boat Association to ensure that the overall site is developed and used in a way that maximizes the public’s access to much sought after waterfront services and amenities.”
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