Ranchlands to stay publicly owned
The BX Ranchlands are staying in public hands. The undeveloped 137-acre parcel, off East Vernon Road, was purchased by the Regional District of North Okanagan in 2016. The plan was to create a perimeter trail and possibly subdivide and sell off the remaining section.
But this week, the RDNO board agreed to sell the remaining land to Electoral Areas B and C.
“It is a great big, beautiful open space right on the edge of the city,” said Bob Fleming, director for Electoral Area B.
“The public support for retaining the BX Ranchlands has been a driving force for our efforts to secure the land for our community,” said Amanda Shatzko, director for Electoral Area C.
The land is in the agricultural land reserve. Possible future uses could be as an agricultural park or a space for farming education.
The RDNO is working with the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University to explore the development and implementation of a regional agriculture and food-system education facility and programming on the property. The intent is not to have a bricks-and-mortar facility but rather to use the land for hands-on agricultural learning, the RDNO said in a release. The next step is to conduct a feasibility study to evaluate the property for this program.
“We will continue to consult with residents and collaborative organizations as we plan the future of a regionally significant park,” said Shatzko.