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Kelowna’s City Park set to reopen mid-June

The shoreline will look a little bit different to returning beachgoers
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V Log system to help reduce erosion on Hot Sands Beach. (Photo/City of Kelowna)

City Park is set to open this month after undergoing improvement works since February.

The shoreline will look a little bit different to returning beachgoers, as erosion of sand along Hot Sands Beach was addressed as a priority during the improvement of City Park.

“A combination of climate change, human activity, and wave action from both wind and boat wake has led to significant volumes of beach sand being lost into the lake each year,” said Todd DeGruchy, senior project manager. “All the upgraded measures in place will help keep City Park a popular destination for years to come.”

DeGruchy added natural materials like trees, rock and logs were chosen in an effort to slow the erosion of beach sands, especially at the north end which has experienced significant beach loss through the years resulting in significant elevation change. Specific changes include:

  • Moving the promenade walkway further away from the water to allow for a more gradual slope on the beach. A new planting area will provide stability with the added root mass at the top of the bank.
  • Adding anchored logs near the top of the beach to help protect the landscape and upper areas of the park from flood damage that may occur.
  • Creating a V-log bio-engineering system made of anchored logs in the shape of a “V” with newly planted willow trees and grasses with rock in front and behind. These are placed at the lake’s highwater mark and will work to dissipate the energy of the waves to reduce erosion as well as encourage the accumulation of sand around them. As the logs decay, the root system of the willow trees is intended to bind with the rocks to create natural protection of the shoreline for the future.

City Park beach and walkway are anticipated to reopen mid-June.

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@GaryBarnes109
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Gary Barnes

About the Author: Gary Barnes

Recently joined Kelowna Capital News and WestK News as a multimedia journalist in January 2022. With almost 30 years of experience in news reporting and radio broadcasting...
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