Small and large efforts for Okanagan Rail Trail

In the summer of 2016, Taylor Denomme set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the Okanagan Rail Trail. She brought in enough money to cover 1 m of trail construction. Later that year, Rosalie Worbets covered 95 m, a metre for each year of her life. This past spring, the Weatherill family, who has deep roots in the region, donated $1.45 million, the single largest contribution to the trail. Corporate sponsors also pitched in, including mec, which gave $45,000, and Winn Rentals Ltd., which offered discounts on equipment rented for trail work.

“It’s been a real community effort, from whatever someone’s allowance is to private donors who’ve given significant amounts and remained anonymous,” said Wade Janzen, regional sustainability and community investment co-ordinator at mec. “We wanted to support the community’s efforts.”

The money is helping to transform 48.5 km of a former railway between Kelowna to Vernon, B.C., into a pathway for cyclists and walkers. Construction for the first phase – tearing out the railway ties and smoothing things out afterward, and converting bridges for bikes and people instead of trains – will cost $7.8 million. Authors of the project’s impact assessment expect the trail will see 309,095 bike trips and 148,000 walking trips per year. Future plans beyond the first phase of construction include linking the Okanagan Rail Trail to the Kettle Valley Rail Trail with its paths totalling more than 600 km.

“It’s just going to be an incredible trail,” Janzen said.— MP