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South Okanagan Photos

APC asked to comment on back road for prison

park prisonRE: Crown Land Referral – Crown land tenure

Purpose: To facilitate the development of a secondary road access to the Senkulmen Business Park through the western part of Inkaneep Provincial Park.

Applicant: BC Parks Folio: 3020.20C Civic: unknown, Electoral Area ‘C’ Legal: unsurveyed Crown land

OCP: Parks (P) Zoning: Parks and Recreation (PR)

Proposed Development:

BC Parks has referred a proposal from Shared Service BC that is seeking to adjust the boundaries of Inkaneep Provincial Park “for the purposes of creating a secondary access road to the Senkulmen Business Park (located on the Osoyoos Indian Reserve).”

Specifically, BC Parks is advising that “total park land required for the project is estimated at approximately 0.28 hectares … [and that the] proposal is to ensure there is an overall net increase in the area of Inkaneep Provincial Park through a land addition of approximately 0.85 hectares in other areas of the park” (see Attachment No. 2).

Referral Requirements:

BC Parks has referred this application to the Regional District in order that the RDOS provide comment and has advised that representations must be received by January 7, 2013.

Site Context:

A “Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan” that was adopted by the Province for the Park in 2003 describes the area as follows:

Inkaneep Provincial Park’s primary purpose is to protect small areas of antelope brush and cottonwood riparian habitat along the Okanagan River, 97 km north of Oliver. The park consists of 2 separate areas surrounded by private property. One area straddles a 750 metre section of the Okanagan Flood Control right of way; the other, containing the antelope brush, lies on the east side of Tugulnuit Road, abutting the Osoyoos Indian Reserve No. 1.

The park is one of the smallest of the 12 protected areas in the South Okanagan Basin
Ecosection which is well represented in the protected areas system. It contributes in a minor way to the representation of the under-represented BGxh1 biogeoclimatic zone/variant. However, the park has important conservation values including 5 rare species/habitats: blue-listed Lewis’ woodpecker and sockeye salmon habitat and red-listed yellow breasted chat, cottonwood and antelope brush, one of the four most endangered ecosystems in Canada.

The park’s secondary purpose is to provide river-oriented day use opportunities and vehicle camping. A total of 7 rustic campsites are provided along with river-side trails for walking and nature study. The park is popular with naturalists, particularly bird-watchers, and gets some use by Highway 97 corridor travellers. The park has potential to be a part of a significant ecotourism opportunity focussed on birds, fish and wildlife in the Okanagan River/Oliver area.