Rutland Centennial Park takes small step closer to expected expansion

The expansion of amenities in Rutland Centennial Park was given qualified support Monday by Kelowna city council.

Council agreed to spend $75,000 from reserves to identify exactly what it would cost to expand a playground, develop new walking trails and add new lawns and trees to the park’s southeast corner.

A preliminary estimate is $500,000. Pending the detailed cost projection, council will decide later whether to modify the 2018 city budget to allow the park improvement project to proceed.

It’s not clear, at this point, what the possible impact will be on the projected 3.6 per cent municipal tax hike, council heard from finance staff. That’s because revenue-side details of the budget are still being worked out.

It’s possible that higher-than-expected taxation revenue from new construction, or funding from other sources, will provide the necessary funds.

Although the idea of getting a detailed cost project was approved, councillors noted that other areas of Kelowna have been waiting for new parks to be made out of municipal property that was acquired many years ago.

“Glenmore has been patiently waiting for their park,” Coun. Luke Stack said.

Nevertheless, some Rutlanders have complained the city isn’t moving as quickly as they would like to develop Centennial Park. The city took it over from the volunteer Rutland Park Society in 2015.

Upgrades so far include a soccer pitch and playground. Those amenities make the park “far better and more inviting than what was there before,” Mayor Colin Basran said.