Summit overpass, Riverside Park rink moving ahead with $15.7M provincial windfall

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops council has set out its plan for spending an unexpected $15.7 million windfall from the provincial government.

At a Committee of the Whole meeting Tuesday morning (April 11), council pored through a list of options for the cash, opting to split it between a couple of big projects and setting the city up for the future.

About one-third of the money — $5 million — will help build a bicycle and pedestrian overpass over Summit Drive near Thompson Rivers University. The project had been on the books for 2027-28 but, with the provincial grant money, crews will get started as soon as possible.

Another one-third of the grant — $5.4 million — will be used to build an outdoor skating rink in Riverside Park. Previous attempts to secure grant funding for the long-talked-about project have failed to bear fruit.

With the remaining moneys, council looked further into the future.

One-million dollars will be set aside as seed funding to launch the projects identified in the city’s Build Kamloops plan, such as feasibility studies and early design work.

Finally, the remaining $4.3 million was put in a separate savings account, earmarked to help make those projects come to life.

The proposals will be brought forward as staff studies what it calls a civic facilities infrastructure deficit — a list of facilities needed in Kamloops right now. These include a performing arts centre, new pools and ice rinks, and an upgraded RCMP detachment.

Premier David Eby announced the one-time, $1 billion Growing Communities Fund on March 8.