Community donation helps, but campaign still needs significant funds
Efforts to secure a privately owned 32.4‑hectare parcel within Myra–Bellevue Park in Kelowna received a local boost this week, as the BC Parks Foundation reported an anonymous donation of $20,000 from a retired teacher.
The foundation has launched a short, urgent fundraising drive with the aim of raising $800,000 by mid‑August to purchase the land. The amount is to be matched dollar for dollar by the Wilson 5 Foundation, meaning the campaign would secure up to $1.6 million toward protecting the property that sits surrounded by parkland in one of the Okanagan’s key conservation landscapes.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fundraising target | $800,000 |
| Matching pledge | Wilson 5 Foundation — dollar for dollar |
| Private donation received | $20,000 |
| Remaining to raise (as reported) | $150,000 |
The BC Parks Foundation says the property is privately owned despite being surrounded by parkland. Left unpurchased, the parcel could be vulnerable to private development that would fragment the park and alter its ecological and recreational function for Kelowna residents.
"Yesterday a private donation of $20,000 was received anonymously from a retired local teacher."
That anonymous gift, while welcomed, leaves a substantial gap in the campaign. The foundation had set an accelerated timeline — roughly one month — to secure the funds before potential development pressures grow. As of the latest report, the campaign still needed $150,000 to reach the matched target by the August 14 deadline.
Why this parcel matters to Kelowna
Myra–Bellevue Park is one of the Okanagan’s most important conservation landscapes, offering wildlife habitat, watershed protection and recreational trails used by local hikers, cyclists and families. The privately owned lot sits like an island inside the park boundary; protecting it would preserve contiguous habitat and reduce the risk of trail closures or visual and ecological impacts from nearby development.
Local conservation groups and municipal planners have for years flagged the risks of private inholdings within public park boundaries. Securing these properties often requires public fundraising or government acquisition, and community contributions can tip deals into completed protection.
- Conservation value: Maintains contiguous habitat within the park.
- Recreation value: Keeps trails and views intact for residents and visitors.
- Timing pressure: Short fundraising window increases urgency.
Community and civic context
The fundraising push comes in a municipal election year, a backdrop that typically draws heightened attention to land-use and park-protection priorities. While the BC Parks Foundation is leading the public campaign, municipal leaders, conservation organisations and local donors all play a role in determining the future use of lands that sit near or within city limits.
Securing privately owned parcels within municipal park boundaries reduces future complications for city planners and park managers, who otherwise must contend with potential development proposals, access concerns and the costs associated with piecemeal protection.
The foundation’s public appeal builds on earlier successes: it recently helped protect another privately held parcel inside Myra–Bellevue Park, demonstrating that matched, time-limited campaigns can succeed when public interest and philanthropic matches align.
Next steps for the campaign
The BC Parks Foundation is inviting donations from people across British Columbia to help close the remaining gap. If the matched goal is reached, the purchase would keep the 32.4‑hectare property out of private hands and add it permanently to Myra–Bellevue Park.
For Kelowna residents who use the park, the outcome will determine whether a small but significant piece of the park stays protected. The coming days will show whether local philanthropy, combined with the Wilson 5 Foundation match, can mobilise quickly enough to meet the deadline.
