Rail line deadline has come and gone

[bob vernon]

The deadline for private interest in the Vernon to Kelowna railway line ended on Thursday Jan 30. CN has only said that they have been in discussion with several private companies for the land. It is believed that most of this interest is from developers who only want parts of the line to put luxury houses on the lakefront. It it really worthwhile for only parts of the line to be made into parkland and a trail developed? And if the line is to be turned into a trail, who's going to come up with the money to buy it? It crosses several jurisdictions. Coldstream, NORD, CORD, Lake Country, Kelow

[LoneWolf_53]

Did CN ever actually put out cash money for the land in the first place?

I tend to wonder if it wasn't obtained from Crown for the purpose of railway way back when.

If that were the case it should by rights go back.

I don't know either way but certainly am curious, as obviously a lot of railway lines go through areas that aren't private land.

[bob vernon]

April 1st...... and another deadline. This land, as predicted, has been sold. On the face of the deal, the new owner will try to operate the line as a railway. The reality is that the line requires a lot of money invested in it to repair the ties and rails. Will it be upgraded or eventually sold to developers. There are some really nice lakefront places.

[LoneWolf_53]

April 1st have any special meaning to you?

[grammafreddy]

It's so poorly written that it has to be an AP hoax. Nice try, Castanet!

[bob vernon]

Another deadline. No takers on operating the line as a railway so now the Feds are first up to purchase this. If they pass on purchasing it, then it falls to the province and don't expect Christy to come with the bucks for this. And then it will be the local municipal governments. They just don't have the money. The price will be well over $15 million, maybe $20 million, and Kelowna and Vernon just can't take that on without provincial and federal help. So far the MLAs and MPs have been ducking. Really ducking. They want no part of this. It's called leadership. Or something.
When the local governments can't make a deal, it will be sold to developers. Much of this land is top of the line lakefront that can hold many luxury houses and be sold for huge amounts of money. Sad to say it but there will be no trail, only luxury lakefront houses. Money talks. The bicycling, granola eating, eco-freaks can't compete.

[jasond_71]

Hopefully the Provinicial government will buck up with Christy in our backyard but I'm not holding my breath. You think if they could afford 600 million for a new roof at BC Place that very few people in BC use they could afford a measly 20 million for a bike path.

[image999]

Only 15-20 million for perhaps the best land in Canada. Think the new running field at Okanagan College costed (or borrowed) 7.5 mil. It’s too bad local government hasn’t gotten along for many years in the North Okanagan. Hope the Central Okanagan steps up more. A trail would increase the quality of life in the area, if that’s what people want. The aggregate economic spinoffs would be greater than in the recent report. As Jimmy Pattison put it ... ”The deal of the century” after a part of the former Expo 86 world’s fair site in Vancouver was sold off to a private Chinese developer for a pittance.

[bob vernon]

Kelowna MP Ron Canaan was quoted this weekend that CN Rail's opening price for the land is $50 million. Even at half that much I can't see our MPs having enough political clout to come up with anywhere near enough cash to make this deal. Colin Mayes is retiring and has pretty much been on cruise control for years now. He couldn't even come up with $10,000 for the Alan Brooks Nature Centre. The province? The next election is still at least 3 years away, and besides, Kelowna and Vernon will vote the way they vote no matter how low the level of constituency spending.

Anytime you have MPS and MLAs saying that they're "working' hard, workin' real hard" to get this deal, it's part of the excuse-building process.

[bob vernon]

The Okanagan Indian Band has put in a claim on the railway line land that runs from Vernon to Kelowna. This has the potential, for better or for worse, to delay the final disposition of the land for some time to come.

[kingsandman]

I hope the government tells the Indian Band to pound sand. I'm sick to death of "Natives" claiming everything. The science behind who was here first is still up for debate and regardless of anyone's outlook, there's no amount of money that can undo what may or may not have happened 100's of years ago. It's time to move on and do what's right for everyone, not just one financially motivated special interest group.

[oko11]

exactly. why haven't the Indians claimed this land before now. is it because they didn't realize the value? now that it's worth a lot of bucks........it's ours!

[Dizzy1]

I read the article in the paper this morning about the OKIB and the coffee literally shot of my nose. We should buy the land and give it to them?

You want it? You buy it with the money we've already given to you.

[Raiford]

The Rail Trail was a good idea, but it's completely unworkable.

Even if someone came up with enough money to purchase the land from the railroad, that is just the beginning of the headache.
The section through the Reserve will be unusable, the chief sounds like he'd rather have the land than the money.
Who will convert the tracks and ties and gravel into a cycle-able trail? And who will be paying for it?
Who will be in charge of maintaining the usable sections of the trail? Magical Trail Elves?

As I said, it's a good idea, but unfortunately it will never happen.
Although I'd LOVE to be proven wrong, I am not going to hold my breath.

[danmartin]

The negativity that is starting to come out about the possibility of a trail along the lakes between Vernon and Kelowna is disappointing but not too surprising as there always seems to be a lot of that. Yes it will take work but it is very doable just like the wonderful KVR trail. I wonder if those pushing the negativity have ever bothered to go up there and see what a wonderful thing it is. A trial down here in the bottom of the Valley could be even better with easier access and a much longer season. Just my thoughts but hopefully more think this way and it happens.