Kelowna City Council has authorized the expropriation of the waterfront boardwalk section outside Hotel Eldorado, taking its strongest action yet to restore and protect public access to the Okanagan Lake route.
The city announced the decision on July 20, 2026, after years of access disputes and more than a year of closure caused by structural deterioration. The walkway in front of Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort remains fenced off, with no confirmed repair schedule or reopening date.
Expropriation will apply only to the portion fronting Hotel Eldorado at 500 Cook Road. Kelowna nevertheless intends to repair the affected sections outside both resort properties so the full waterfront connection can eventually reopen.
What Kelowna City Council approved
Council authorized municipal officials to begin the legal process of acquiring the privately owned land beneath the Hotel Eldorado section of the boardwalk.
Expropriation allows a local government to acquire private property when it is needed for a public purpose. The owner must receive fair compensation through the process established by British Columbia law.
The amount has not been determined. Johannes Säufferer, manager of the city’s real estate department, said a proposed figure was expected to be presented to council after due diligence, potentially within about a month of the July 20 announcement.
Once compensation and the required legal steps are settled, registration of the land could follow within several weeks. The schedule could change if there is a dispute over the valuation or another part of the process.
The authorization does not mean the entire walkway has already become public property. It begins the acquisition process for the portion outside Hotel Eldorado only.
Why the waterfront route matters
The roughly half-kilometre walkway follows the Okanagan Lake shoreline from the Cook Road boat launch, past Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort, toward a creek crossing and the route to Rotary Beach.
It has long been used by residents, tourists, hotel guests and restaurant customers. The route also passes the access point for Hotel Eldorado’s dock, boat moorage, marina shop and marine fuel service.
Although the structure stands on private property, public daytime access is protected by a statutory right of way created in 1999 between the City of Kelowna and an earlier property owner.
A statutory right of way does not transfer ownership. It gives the municipality and public a legally protected ability to use a defined part of private land for an approved purpose.
Why the boardwalk was closed
The current closure is based on structural safety concerns rather than the earlier court dispute over public access.
Associated Engineering inspected the walkway on June 5, 2025, after Argus Properties alerted the city to deterioration. Engineers examined the route from the north side of Manteo Resort to the edge of the Eldorado Pier Restaurant.
The inspection found rotting wooden planks and structural instability in several locations. The most serious damage affected the shore-side ends of planks designed to extend over the water.
Rot had weakened the material holding some fasteners, leaving certain planks inadequately secured when pedestrians placed weight on the extended section. The engineering report warned that the damage could result in sudden failure under certain loading conditions.
City crews installed barricades on June 5. Because deterioration appeared in several places, engineers determined that closing the full walkway was more practical and safer than blocking individual sections.
The recommended work included replacing damaged Douglas fir planks, installing new fasteners and repairing the timber ledger or nailing strip beneath the most severely affected area. The underlying support may require further assessment after the damaged material is removed.
Why repairs missed the original deadline
The city initially expected to complete repairs and reopen the route by September 2025. That deadline passed without the work being completed.
According to the city’s account, municipal officials informed hotel management of their repair plans in September. The property owner raised issues it wanted resolved before allowing work to proceed and later requested a meeting with Mayor Tom Dyas.
The city says negotiations continued without an agreement. A contractor sent to the property in December 2025 was reportedly directed by hotel management to stop work and leave the site.
Municipal officials said they were subsequently unable to agree with the hotel on repair access. Some discussions took place during closed council meetings, meaning the complete legal and operational details have not been released.
Argus Properties had not issued a detailed public response to the expropriation announcement as of July 24, 2026. The claim that contractors were denied access represents the city’s account of the dispute.
The earlier court battle over access
The disagreement predates the safety closure. Public access was restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic when a gate near the Cook Road boat launch was locked and pedestrians were redirected around the hotel.
The route later reopened, but periods of restricted access continued. The city pursued legal action to enforce the statutory right of way.
In April 2023, the Supreme Court of British Columbia upheld the validity of the public access arrangement. The court did not consider a permanent injunction necessary at that point because the route was open and the hotel had undertaken to maintain access.
Hotel Eldorado appealed the decision. In December 2024, the B.C. Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, leaving the public’s daytime access rights in place.
Those rulings confirmed the right to use the walkway but did not give the city ownership of the land. Kelowna now argues that acquiring the Hotel Eldorado portion is necessary to secure permanent access and avoid further disputes.
Will expropriation reopen the route immediately?
No. Expropriation addresses ownership and control of the land, while the closure involves a separate structural safety problem.
The city must complete the acquisition process, obtain access to the work area, carry out the recommended repairs and have the structure assessed before the barriers can be removed.
Kelowna has said it is committed to repairing the walkway outside both Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort. It has not announced the cost of that work, a construction start date or a target for reopening.
The decision may reduce future uncertainty over the Eldorado section, but it does not automatically resolve ownership or access arrangements for every privately held part of the waterfront route.
Read More:
- ETIAS delayed to 2026: What the €20 EU travel authorisation means for travellers
- Qantas $105 million class action settlement: Who can claim and what it means
- Visit the homepage for more latest news
What visitors should know
Hotel Eldorado and Manteo Resort remain open. The closure concerns the fenced shoreline walkway and does not mean the hotels, restaurants or every nearby waterfront area are inaccessible.
Pedestrians should not climb over or move the barriers. Engineers identified a risk of structural failure, including in areas where the surface may not appear seriously damaged.
Visitors reaching the Okanagan from coastal communities should check the latest BC Ferries cancellations and coastal route updates before beginning a journey involving ferry connections.
International visitors making onward travel plans can review the latest information about the ETIAS travel-authorisation schedule and requirements.
Official announcements and future repair information can be followed through the City of Kelowna waterfront access update.
As of July 24, 2026, the walkway remains closed. The next developments are expected to involve property valuation, council consideration of compensation, land registration and a confirmed plan for structural repairs.
Make Swikblog your go-to source on Google for reliable updates, smart insights, and daily trends.
