Flood protection and fish habitat improvement along Mission Creek begins

Construction work for the planned installation of four riffles in a portion of Mission Creek will occur between July 15 until August 31 in Mission Creek Regional Park. Area closures, trail detours and designated crossings will be in place to accommodate the project.

The work to install riffles for flood protection and improved fish habitat will begin with clearing brush and selective tree falling along the creek. Nearby residents and park visitors should expect to hear construction noise and will experience vibrations while work is underway. Heavy vehicles will use the Hall Road service road entrance as the primary access including excavators, pickup trucks and gravel trucks entering and exiting the construction area. The service road will be closed to all pedestrians and cyclists except at three designated trail crossing locations. Visitors are asked to use alternate entrances for parking and trail access.

Visitors accessing the Pine Loop Trail, soopollalie Trail, the Sutherland Hills Trail and the Turtle Pond Trail are asked to observe designated crossings and detours. Signs for alternate trail detours will be posted at junction points and at trail entrances. Visitors are asked to please adhere to signage, barrier fences and worker direction and to avoid closed areas for worker and personal safety.

To complete work on Mission Creek before the return of spawning Kokanee, regular construction hours are Monday to Sunday from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm but may be subject to change to include evenings and weekends as required for project completion within this short time frame.

With the extreme fire rating in all parks, construction crews will conduct work for this project according to the approved fire safety plan and provincial regulations to manage fire ignition risk.

The work is part of the Mill Creek Flood Protection project which will adapt and upgrade the Mill Creek Diversion outlet to Mission Creek and will improve fish habitat with the creation of four riffles. This project is funded in partnership with City of Kelowna, Mission Creek Restoration Initiative (MCRI) and the Government of Canada.

The Regional District offers more than 2,100 hectares of parkland including 86 km of designated trails in 30 regional parks for visitors to explore. Visit rdco.com/parks to plan your next outing.