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Trail society formed

The Valley Bikeway Development Society has been formed to spearhead the creation of a 1.2-kilometre lakeside trail in Summerland.
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A new trail group has been formed to spearhead the creation of a lakeside trail in Summerland. The new Valley Bikeway Development Society has already received around $40

A new trail group, The Valley Bikeway Development Society, has been formed to spearhead the creation of a 1.2-kilometre lakeside trail in Summerland.

Phase 1 of the new trail would extend from Lakeshore Drive to the Summerland Beach RV Park (formerly Illahie Beach Campground).

Phase 2 will see the path continuing through Trout Creek to Sun-Oka Beach and along the lakeshore to Penticton.

Organizers hope Phase 1 will start this spring.

To date, approximately $40,000 has been donated to the society to get the project off to a start.

The Okanagan Similkameen Parks Society has contributed $5,000 and the Summerland Rotary Club has contributed $15,000.

John Lathey, President of the Summerland Rotary Club and Mary Trainer, a director of the OS Parks Society, are two of the founding members of the new Valley Bikeway Development Society.

The District of Summerland is covering the cost of all the engineered drawings estimated to be approximately $20,000 and is represented in the society by Dale MacDonald, director of parks and recreation for the municipality.

Additional groups currently involved are the Trans Canada Trail, Tourism Penticton, Economic Development Penticton, District of Summerland, Summerland Chamber of Commerce, Okanagan Similkameen Regional District, Penticton Rotary Clubs, and many interested citizens.  The Society is chaired by Connie Denesiuk, former President of the B.C. School Trustees Association.

“We are extremely pleased by the significant leadership and support that the Summerland Rotary Club has given to this exciting project in its early stages,” Denesiuk said.

“The foundation has been laid for many more organizations and individuals to come together and see this tremendous tourism, economic, and recreational vision realized in the Okanagan.”

Additional information can be found on Facebook at Okanagan-Lakeside-Multi-Use-Pathway-Project.