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We Need a Release of DCC Funds to Secure Critical Park Land
Your voice counts a lot, don't assume that others are handling this issue.
The City of West Kelowna (CWK) Council is confronting a challenging 2026 budget cycle, and the necessity of prudent financial management is undeniable.
However, we must address a clear opportunity to invest in the city's future that requires immediate, decisive action by this Council.
CWK has successfully accumulated approximately $8 million in the Development Cost Charge (DCC) Park Reserve, funds collected from developers specifically for park acquisition.
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These dedicated funds are currently languishing in a reserve earning a minimal $2-3% interest while the price of suitable land is escalating dramatically each year. Every month of inaction devalues this reserve and forces the City to buy less land for more money.
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This money must be deployed now for its intended purpose—park land acquisition. It must not be held in reserve as a low-interest investment, nor should it be diverted to depreciating park upgrades.
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While the developers' current contributions fall far short of the Province's mandated 5%, the $8 million collected is a resource that belongs to the residents of this City.
As the Lakeview Heights Community Association has repeatedly documented, our community is severely underserved with respect to active (play) parks, lagging critically behind other parts of the City and neighboring municipalities. This is a deficit in public amenity that directly impacts the quality of life for our families and children.
We insist that the 2026 budget reflect an unequivocal commitment to addressing this inequality. The CWK must allocate a minimum of $1.7 million in this budget cycle to initiate the acquisition of new, designated park land within Lakeview Heights.
Failure to spend the DCC reserve is not financial restraint—it is a strategic error that guarantees higher costs and fewer parks in the future. We urge the Mayor and Council to release these funds and prioritize the community's long-term park deficit.
If you agree these dedicated funds must be spent now to secure our community's green spaces, please make your voice heard at the CWK Budget consultation:
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In-Person: Community Open House, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 4 to 7 p.m., City Hall Council Chamber (3731 Old Okanagan Highway).
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Online: Engage immediately at https://www.ourwk.ca/2026budget until Dec. 12.
To contact Mayor and Council directly to voice your concerns please email mayorandcouncil@westkelownacity.ca
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or visit: https://www.westkelownacity.ca/en/city-hall/contact-mayor-and-council.aspx
to get contact info for individual councilors we can be more effective.
Thank you for your attention to this matter,
Lakeview Heights Community Association Board of Directors
Active Parks Comparison
Active Parks Needed
Transportation Master Plan
Your community association has provided input on the final draft of the Transportation Master Plan. The final TMP including input from the public is due to be put before council in the near future.
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​If you look at the TMP's final draft section on paths and trails you will probably find it is very general and confusing. Our more specific proposals are shown below.
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On this map the roads in black already have sidewalks or multiuse paths. The red lines indicate where we would like shared access for pedestrians and cyclists. We would suggest that the most cost effective way to get this done in the near future is to use wide walk/bike lanes on one side of the road. They need to be 2.0-2.5 m (6-8 ft) wide to be reasonably safe. The current bike lane on Thacker is 1 m so it needs an upgrade. The Sunnybrae connector will require long term negotiation with Quails Gate Winery. Ogden W is probably slightly lower priority.
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If you have some favourites or if you want to promote the whole system of paths please contact www.ourwk.ca/tmp on or before OCT 10. You will probably need to provide a clear explanation of what you want and perhaps use a screenshot of this map.
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New Fire Hall
The CWK has managed to get the new firehall ready on time (and on budget?). There is a grand opening of the firehall scheduled October 17 at 1 pm on the Anders Park property. We are looking forward to to being able to use the new facilities which include a community hall,
We certainly needed a new firehall but but we are still very disappointed to loose the one centrally located playing field in Lakeview Heights where we are very short of active parks.
Conceptual plan
Photo Sept 2025
Anders Field March 2024