WALLY BONIN PARK A TRIBUTE TO THE EARTH
S.Okanagan park a hidden gem
Trails lead to other trails that lead to other trails.
And no matter where you look ‘up’ in the Okanagan, you can be sure that someone (or something) has been there before you and has created a trail. Most of them have no name, no flagging and may or may not appear on a map or trail app.
So when you hike, bike or climb a familiar trail, you will always find sidetrails. Caution: some will be animal tracks so think carefully about exploring them since it may interrupt normal animal wayfinding behaviour.
However, when revisiting one of our favourite trails — KVR Trail from Penticton to Summerland, leader Dieter directed our group of Central Okanagan Outdoors Club members into the Wally Bonin Park trails. This triangular park was “generously donated by the Bonin family for community use and enjoyment.”
For 50-plus years, Walter Bonin owned a scenic, natural piece of the West Bench next to the KVR right-of-way. In late 2009, Bonin and his family decided to preserve most of their four-hectare property as a park by donating it to the Regional District of OkanaganSimilkameen.
“I look at that piece of property and I see a beautiful park could be made out of that — there’s so many possibilities there,” he said at the time. “As long as it’s designated parkland, I’m happy to donate it.”
Bonin owned the property at 320 Newton Dr. since 1960, moving his family to the West Bench after arriving in Penticton in 1947. The parcel includes a large wedgeshaped section of flat land overlooking a wide, deep gully which leads toward Okanagan Lake. The three-hectare donated portion was subdivided from Bonin’s house and yard on the south side of the gully.
Bonin suggested the site could be used as a ball diamond or sports field in the future, noting part of the gully could be filled in as well. Any decisions on future use would be up to the West Bench parks board.
Michael Brydon, then-RDOS director for Area F (West BenchOkanagan Lake West), said the land would likely be kept in a natural state as a walk-in park, left as a natural grassland area, for the medium-term future.
“We’re just going to leave it (as is). Maybe at some point we might put a little boardwalk out because there are very delicate plants and things out there.”
Located on the east side of the KVR right-of-way, plans called for access to the donated portion to be via the KVR. However, Brydon noted the Penticton Indian Band is attempting to reacquire the rightof-way, which was expropriated from the reserve when the KVR was built 100 years ago. That issue has still not been resolved.
The Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen usually access this section of the KVR Trail from the north end of the Channel Parkway, but Dieter first took us on a scenic loop to the south end of the river channel, then along Highway 97 to Old Airport Road and back to the channel. Something different.
And it was a treat to catch up with the restored 1912 steam locomotive 3716 parked at the Trout Creek Trestle in Summerland while those from a vintage passenger coach and open-air car strolled along the bridge.
There’s nothing quite like the sound of a massive steam locomotive as it powers up for its Kettle Valley Steam Railway (kettlevalleyrail.org) return along “10 miles of beautiful vistas; from lush orchards and vineyards to a spectacular view of lake and land from the Trout Creek Bridge 238 feet above the canyon floor.”
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Due to the latest COVID-19 restrictions, Pedego Oyama had to cancel its neighborhood Palooza event today as part of the nationwide Hello Fun Tour.
“We will postpone now ‘til September (or when we are allowed),” said Sheila Fraser, coowner of Pedego Oyama. “I hope our 120-plus Pedego owners will understand. Would have been cool to see that many bikes out on the trail together.”
The event was to include a meetand-greet with Mike Clyde, president of Pedego Canada and Cassidy Castleman, vice president of Pedego International; a Pedego group ride on the rail trail; food trucks; and music from M&M (Mick dalla Vee and Michael Sicoly).
Pedego Oyama is a locally owned business that sells, rents and services all things Pedego e-bike from its unique shop location at Gatzke Farm Market, next to the Okanagan Rail Trail.
The Palooza event was to be one stop on Pedego’s 2021 Hello Fun Tour, stopping in more than 80 communities that are home to Pedego storefronts and highlighting more than 40 new store openings.
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The Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail has received a $459,061 grant for construction of a pilot section of the rail trail to connect Enderby and Splatsin.
The Splatsin First Nation, Regional District of North Okanagan and Columbia Shuswap Regional District partners were awarded COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream funds by the federal and provincial governments.
Working collectively with the rail trail technical team, operations and planning staff from each of the jurisdictions are developing standards for the pilot project, including vegetation restoration and landscaping, trail amenities, signage and addressing invasive plants.
Fundraising coordinator Alex de Chantal is encouraging corporate and community donors to support the rail trail project by making donations since many grants require a matching financial commitment to qualify. All contributions are tax deductible. For more information or to donate, go to: ShuswapNorthOkanaganRailTrail. ca/donate