City’s newest park named
No bluebirds, no problem. The name of Kelowna's newest waterfront park, whenever it opens, will be Bluebird Beach Park.
City council on Monday unanimously approved that name for a 2.9 acre property at 4020 Lakeshore Rd., bought for $12 million in 2015.
Despite the new name, bluebirds are not typically found in the park, as the birds prefer open grasslands, council heard. Bluebird is still apt, councillors suggested, as it’s the name of a long-established nearby waterfront road.
“Bluebird has a nice roll to it,” Stack said. “It's an interesting name that will invite people to go there.”
“It’s something pleasurable and attractive,” Coun. Mohini Singh said.
Alluding to ill-fated internet-based naming contests, Coun. Ryan Donn said he was just happy it wasn't going to be called Parky McParkface.
There is no timetable to open the upland portion of the property to public use, but the sandy beach is easily accessible from a nearby road-end, council heard.
In other park news, a vacant city property next to the Laurel building will be turned into a pocket park.
City council approved the project on Monday, Stack noting it had been on the to-do list for many years. Former councillor Robert Hobson had often advocated the small property's transformation into a pocket park, but it never made the cut during budget deliberations, Stack said.
Cost of developing the pocket park is estimated to be about $200,000.