The entire cost of a multi-use trail along the lakeshore could be met without any Summerland tax dollars if the plan is made big enough.
Don Gemmell, a proponent of a lakeshore trail, said the Okanagan Lakeside Multi-Use Pathway Project would be able to get 20 per cent of the cost of the project from federal sources if the trail is part of a larger Okanagan trail corridor.
“We all need to get together to work on this project,” he said.
At the Nov. 28 municipal council meeting, council supported a resolution to apply for funding to cover up to 80 per cent of the cost of the trail.
If the full 80 per cent of funding is received, Summerland’s share of the $860,000 project would be $172,000.
If the funding were to be capped at $400,000, Summerland’s share would be $460,000.
Even if the full 80 per cent of funding came through, some on council expressed concerns, saying the municipality’s share of funding could be better spent on sidewalks and other improvements to the community.
Gemmell said the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen is looking at a trail network throughout the South Okanagan. Trails are already in place in some communities, but they are not all linked together.