Village of Slocan Waterfront Conceptual Design Plan

On the southern shores of Slocan Lake between Valhalla and Kokanee Provincial Parks, the Village of Slocan waterfront has a strong place in the hearts of local residents. With incredible views up the lake, a historical sandy beachfront, boat launch, trailhead for the Slocan Valley Rail Trail, and a direct link to the Harold Street main street, the Slocan Waterfront has a lot to offer. It was not without issues, such as private land access, invasive species, large vehicle traffic, seasonal flooding and a park with aging amenities.

Selkirk Planning & Design, in collaboration with LARCH Landscape Architecture worked collaboratively with the Village and its residents to understand the issues, and identify priorities for future improvements to the park. A walking tour, extensive field analysis, open house and community survey that received over 160 responses were used to guide the design of the waterfront. The plan incorporated features found throughout the parks history such as a ferry dock, with a railway link, as well as its significance in the local environment. Features from the areas past were incorporated into the design by using local materials, and features such as the old piers that form gateway feature signage, and are incorporated into the swimming area improvements. A 3D model of the entire waterfront neighbourhood was created to show how the plan integrated with the surrounding properties, and how the whole park was designed to function more efficiently. The plan included a revised parking design, stormwater infiltration, native landscaping, improved traffic flow and boat launch, links to the Slocan Valley Rail Trail, and upgrades to washrooms and other recreation amenities.

The plan included high-level construction cost estimates and was presented to Council and the community at a public open house in late November 2018. Detailed design of Phase 01 was completed in the spring of 2019, and construction on Phase 01 was completed in the spring of 2020.