Park to be named after late publican

An existing West Kelowna park will be renamed after a kindhearted pub owner after all.

City council this week over-ruled staff and decided to re-christen Avondale Park in Lakeview Heights as Bob McPherson Park, honouring a man they said had done much to financially support many community groups.

“They’ve been great corporate citizens,” Coun. Rusty Ensign said of the McPherson family, owners of Whiski-Jack’s Pub in downtown Westbank since 1992. Charity events staged at the pub have raised more than $1 million since that time, council has heard.

The McPherson family will donate $75,000 for a new playground at Avondale Park in exchange for the property being renamed for Bob McPherson, who died in 2011.

“That is the most generous, wonderful offer,” Coun. Rosalind Neis said.

Parks staff, citing an existing policy not to rename existing parks, had suggested only the playground be named after McPherson.

Councillors said they understood staff, in making the recommendation, were simply following city policy. “They really had no choice but to make the recommendation they did,” Ensign said.

Coun. Rick de Jong agreed, but noted council had the authority to set aside the recommendation and make the name change.

“The existing name, Avondale, is simply named after the road,” de Jong said.

As a name, Avondale, was “of no significance,” Ensign said.

Coun. Carol Zanon cautioned that council would not necessarily approve future name changes to existing parks, in exchange for financial donations, and that the decision in this case should not be seen as precedent-setting.