FAQs
- To provide a community-level park in the Lower Mission
- To engage the community in participatory workshops that ensure a user-driven design solution
- To provide improved pedestrian and cycling access from the adjacent transportation corridors into the park site
- To build upon the park’s location adjacent to the existing Okanagan Mission Community Hall
- To ensure both the existing mature trees and natural vegetated areas are maintained wherever possible
- To help the City of Kelowna achieve its goals for a carbon-neutral and sustainable site
Why is this review of the 2010 park plan needed?
The City of Kelowna prepared a conceptual masterplan for DeHart Community Park in 2010 and involved over 300 community members and stakeholders. Unfortunately, at that time there was no capital funding and the park remained undeveloped. Now, the City has capital funding for the park’s development.
Since the 2010 concept design is more than 10 years old, the City wishes to check on recreation and community park priorities to update the design. The intent of this consultation is to build upon the 2010 park elements and best serve current community needs.
Is this going to be like 2010 and nothing happens to the park?
No. The City’s new Parks Development Cost Charge program created funding for constructing parks and is already in place with public consultation underway Fall 2022, the final design anticipated for completion in Spring 2023, and construction planned for 2023-24.
What are the park planning objectives?
DeHart Community Park development should serve the needs of the neighbourhood, act as a destination, provide sport and passive recreation opportunities. Park Planning objectives for the DeHart Park project were identified by the City Parks and Buildings Planning Department as follows:
How long till the park gets developed?
The park is anticipated to be completed in 1-2 years.
What happens to the community garden?
The community garden is currently in a temporary location; however, there will be provisions made to have a community garden in the park.
What happens to the tennis courts?
The tennis courts will remain in the same location.
Will there be other sports courts?
Possibly. The City is looking at broader community needs, amenity gaps, and public engagement to determine what sport(s) will be the best fit for this location.
Is there going to be an area for dogs?
Yes. We will be taking ideas from community through the engagement process and incorporating site considerations for a dog area into design.
What’s going to happen to the existing trees on site?
One of the design objectives of the park is to ensure both the existing mature trees and natural vegetated areas are maintained wherever possible to help inform the park design and identity.
Most of the healthy trees will be incorporated into the park design, however there are a number of trees that will need to be removed for safety reasons.