Pressure continues to grow for a new park in a Vernon neighbourhood.
About 30 people toured an area above the Foothills area Saturday.
“The association has been lobbying for an expansive, natural, park above the presently built-up areas of Foothills,” said Wynn Polnicky, with the Foothills Community Association.
“Parts of three separate large properties, currently in private hands, would be needed to create the park as envisioned by the association. One of them, immediately adjacent to Foothills, has just been sold for development. Much of the land desired for the park is so steep that Vernon’s own hillside development guidelines do not permit building there.”
Polnicky says there is ecological, scenic and recreational significance of the area.
“The association thought it’s vital to preserve not only the old-growth wooded area at the summit but some of the grasslands surrounding it in order to protect that transitional habitat for wildlife and also to provide passive fire protection by keeping housing some distance away from trees,” he said.
The Regional District of North Okanagan is being asked to proceed with the park.
“The association has recommended that the park, although it would be entirely within the city, should reasonably belong to Greater Vernon due to both its size and significance,” said Polnicky.
The Foothills Community Association can be contacted at foothillscommunityassoc@gmail.com