Clear-cut of trees along Mill Creek was necessary, says city

Denuded.

Clear-cut.

All that's left is stump after stump after stump and piles of logs and branches.

It's the scene along both sides of Mill Creek as it meanders through the Parkinson Recreation Centre property.

The City of Kelowna had about 60 mature trees, some of them majestic weeping willows, cut down as part of the Mill Creek Protection Project and the redevelopment of the Parkinson Recreation Centre.

While the city maintains the "project will improve creek health," the current stripped landscape is shocking in its destruction.

"A disaster," said Kelowna resident David Buckna, an avid city watcher and frequent letter-to-the-editor writer.

"Dozens and dozens of heritage trees are being cut down near Parkinson Recreation Centre. City clean-up crew will probably arrive quickly to pick up the cut slabs."

So far, the piles of logs and branches haven't been cleared away or chipped and the stumps remain ungrinded.

"The tree removals are part of the larger Mill Creek Flood Protection Project, which supports the long-term vision for the Mill Creek corridor outlined in the city's master planning work," said the City of Kelowna in a statement issued as the last of the trees were cut down and the brush mounded up.

"This project will improve creek health, support fish passage and spawning and strengthen long-term flood protection. When complete, the failed channel and retaining walls will be replaced with native plantings, restored riparian areas and a naturalized floodplain."

The clear-cut was done as the Parkinson Recreation Centre and surrounding 19.4-hectare park is being redeveloped for completion in late 2027.

The $249-million redevelopment includes a new building with two pools, gym, fitness centre, childcare and multi-purpose activity rooms.

Outside will be six sports fields, 24 pickleball courts, 4 tennis courts, playgrounds, walking and cycling trails and connections to the Apple Bowl and Okanagan Rail Trail.

The Mill Creek Restoration Project is funded in part by a $22-million grant from the Government of Canada's Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund.

The project not only includes the work on the creek through the Parkinson Recreation Centre property, but sections of the creek through Marshall Park, Burne Avene Neighbourhood Park and Pacific Court Park.

Mill Creek is a 33-kilometre-long waterway that has its headwaters at Postill Lake on the east side of the Okanagan Basin.

It flows through Mill Creek Regional Park, past Kelowna International Airport and through the city before emptying into Okanagan Lake at the south side of the Bennett Bridge.

The city said urban development, such as channels, culverts and vegetation removal has significantly damaged the creek's health and natural functions.

As a result, the creek has increased sediment, weak banks, reduced fish habitat and more frequent flooding for nearby homes and businesses.

The trees cut along the creek at the Parkinson Recreation Centre were non-native plantings, invasice species and trees in poor health.

All trees were assessed by certified arborists.

Before any trees were cut down, biologists searched for birds' and bats' nests and bee hives.

No active nests were found, and bee hives were removed before any trees were cut down.

Permitting for the work was timed for early spring to avoid active nests.

"To support long-term creek health, the project will plant hundreds of native trees, shrubs and grasses," said the city's statement.

"As these plantings mature, they will create a more diverse canopy that stabilizes banks, improves water quality and enhances habitat for birds, fish and other wildlife. Overall tree cover will increase over time."