City buys $18M creek mouth lot to make new park

An exclusive $18 million lakefront private lot and home have been bought by the City of Kelowna to create a new destination beach park.

The 1.8-acre lot is at 3896 Truswell Road.

Once developed the new park will link Mission Creek Greenway and the Waterfront Walkway.

The parcel of land sits at the mouth of Mission Creek, and offers 340 feet of lakeshore, 220 feet of creek-shore, and panoramic views of Okanagan Lake.

“The purchase of this stunning property is truly a legacy for our city, it’s an important step to ensuring that Kelowna’s beautiful waterfront can be enjoyed by all for generations to come,” Mayor Dyas said in a video released by the city.

The addition will expand water-based park and mooring destinations for the city’s 27 km Paddle Trail, increase connectivity with downtown beach parks through links to Rotary Beach Park and Bluebird Beach Park, and unlock 400 ft. of existing walkway that is otherwise landlocked, securing public access to the two-acre beachfront area commonly known as ‘secret beach.’

The property was sold to the city by the Truswell family, who have lived there since 1940.

With its position at the mouth of Mission Creek, the property is also an important environmental asset for the city and will play a key role in safeguarding lake water quality, flood protection, and sediment control planning in the area.

The $18 million purchase of the 1.8-acre property was funded from the Development Cost Charge (DCC) program and supplemented from City Land Reserves with no funding from general taxation.

Public access is currently restricted, and removal of the residence and site clearing is anticipated in Spring 2024, with the objective of making the property accessible to the public as soon as reasonably achievable.