At the instigation of Rotary Club of Kelowna members, John Woodworth and Art Hughes-Games, the club proposed in March, 1995 that the City embark on a foreshore restoration project at the mouth of Brandt Creek in the City’s downtown area.
Before pioneer settlement in the area, Kelowna’s foreshore was primarily marshlands and the vision was to provide visitors and residents a taste of how it used to be, while restoring the area to more-valuable habitat for fish and wildlife, as a sanctuary that people could visit. In the end, the Rotary Club committed some $200,000 in services of members and funding to the project. The Central Okanagan Naturalists’ Club was also a strong supporter and a contributor to the project.
COLT contributed funds toward a professional study to determine the complexity and feasibility of the 1.8 hectare project, as a first step. By 2001, COLT had contributed an additional $9,600, much of which went to signs interpreting the marsh for visitors. Donations totaling a further $5,100 were received by COLT toward the project.
Today, it is a city park with a boardwalk through it for people, and amenities to encourage waterbirds, including ospreys, to make their homes there. It has become an extremely popular walking area for people as well, with hundreds visiting it daily.
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