A new Kelowna waterfront swim venue, funded by a $12.9 million donation and City capital support, will provide completely free public swimming and community programming at City Park on Okanagan Lake.
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Kelowna is moving ahead with plans for a new free public swim venue at City Park that is designed to restore what the City calls a historic place for people to swim on Okanagan Lake.
The project is expected to support recreational swimming, community events, informal programming and other waterfront activities throughout the year, extending opportunities beyond a single season and into day-to-day use by residents.
A conceptual plan for the facility includes eight 50-metre swim lanes, along with protected swimming areas to create safer, designated space in the water.
The design also features amenities intended to make the venue functional for a variety of swimmers and activities, including sun decks, shaded areas, accessible gangways and diving platforms.
Space for water polo is also included in the conceptual layout, pointing to programming potential that goes beyond lap swimming and supports different types of group use.
The swim venue is being made possible through a $12.9 million donation from the Weston family to Swim Drink Fish, alongside $5.1 million in capital funding from the City of Kelowna.
City responsibility for the project’s design, build and operations is described as falling to the City, while the Weston family donation and City funding together support the creation of the waterfront swimming destination.
The funding structure ties to Swim Drink Fish’s “WAVE Prize,” a waterfront access initiative launched in 2025 with support from the Weston family, which provides grants to local governments and First Nations across B.C. to help build natural water swimming structures.
According to the City, the intent for Kelowna goes beyond adding another swimming location, framing the venue as a long-term investment in public recreation, waterfront access and community connection.
The partnership between the City of Kelowna and Swim Drink Fish is presented as being grounded in shared values including stewardship, public access, community well-being and environmental responsibility, with continued emphasis on ensuring residents can access public waterfront spaces.
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