Photo: J.P. Squire The highlight of Brandt's Creek Linear Park is the large Valley Glen Wetland.
You can watch flocks of ducks from the benches on a triangular side trail that surrounds it. There is a small bridge, the "East and West Duck Islands" and the first three sculptures of a series called Growth. Brandt's Creek Linear Park in Kelowna's Glenmore Valley is another trail gem in the Okanagan.
Hidden in a North Glenmore residential area, its gravel trail beside a meandering stream connects seven city parks and offers an incredible variety of amenities from two tunnels and multiple wetlands to children's playgrounds, community gardens and a sculpture series. In other words, there's something for all ages. In the past, the Sheriff listed his top Okanagan trails and presented Brandt's Creek Linear Park his unofficial award for best small creek trail in an urban area.
The south end begins with an unremarkable wide asphalt walkway at the intersection of Summit Drive and Valley Road. From Valley Road, it simply looks like a plain tree-lined pathway. But walking or cycling it, you'll find ducklings learning how to swim in the small stream on the other side of a metal rail fence.
After climbing a gentle hill to Yates Road, you will discover its major highlight—the large Valley Glen wetland, filled with ducksyou can watch from a triangular side trail that surrounds it. There is a picturesque bridge, benches to appreciate the bustling wildlife swimming around two islands and the first three sculptures of a series called Growth. A well-worn plaque, dated 2008, says seven granite, porcelain and terrazzo sculptures by Karl Ciesluk are located in three parks between Yates and Kane roads.
Plaques at each explain: "The works evoke seed pods of fruit symbolizing renewal and transformation, and reminds us of the Glenmore Valley's agricultural roots." The nearby tunnel is an opportunity to enjoy the resounding echoes of your voice, whether it's a Tarzan yell or yeehaws. A deep voice produces the best results.
Past the Cross Road commercial area (watch for traffic cutting across the trail) Glen Park Drive takes you along a quiet residential street on one side of Matera Glen Park before a short trail over to Glenmore Road and a pedestrian-activated crosswalk. Years ago, this was the end of linear park phase one and phase two started on the other side of Glenmore Road. Unfortunately, there were no signs directing you from phase one to phase two.
You had to find your way down a short walkway to Snowsell Street, head north to Biggar Road and rejoin the trail through Cross Glen Park. The Sheriff contacted the city's parks department about the need for directional signs. Parks' staff agreed and ordered signs but warned it could be fall before they could be fabricated and installed.
So the Sheriff printed a large “Brandt's Creek Linear Park” on 8.5 by 11-inch white paper, added arrows and placed them inside plastic sheet protectors. Zip ties attached the temporary signs to fences and posts.
They were removed when the official signs were erected months later but you can still see the occasional zip tie. The linear park then winds through neighbourhoods to Millard Glen Park on Millard Court West. You might find the south end uninteresting but cross the grass to what the Sheriff nicknamed Secret Pond, located just off the Millard Place cul-de-sac.
Resident ducks will quickly waddle over looking for a treat from the new “neighbours." Brandt's Creek Linear Park remains a neighbourhood secret perhaps because the official city web page only tells you the park is 5.11 hectares and dogs must be on-leash.
It has only a small Google map, which you have to enlarge significantly and then see just a small part of the route. The popular website, alltrails.com , isn't much better.
"Discover this 4.3-km point-to-point trail. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of one hour four minutes to complete (walking).
This is a popular trail for hiking, mountain biking and running but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime,” it says. It's not just for mountain biking, but for all types of bikes.
More detail is available from Geoff, who writes a blog at mywanderlustwalking.com . However, he has been incommunicado for several weeks.
He wrote a series of reviews for what he calls his Kelowna Parks Challenge to visit all of Kelowna's public parks. "Brandt’s Creek Linear Park. This urban trail provided one of the best walks we’ve had in Kelowna so far," he wrote.
An information board on Union Road notes the two branches of Brandt's Creek drain the Glenmore Valley and that the western branch was engineered for stormwater management. "This involved creating an urban trail along most of its length with a series of parks strung along the path. Each park comprises a lowered area with a small wetland, where flooding stormwater can gather and rise safely before moving on to the next park.
Altogether, this makes for an extremely delightful walking experience. We saw ducks and muskrats in the ponds, and many people out enjoying the lawns and playgrounds," said Geoff. Here are the highlights of each park, from south to north.
• Valley Glen Wetland: two creek branches merge in a large pond with 'East and West Duck Islands', bridge, benches and three Growth sculptures. • Sutton Glen Park: Sutton Glen Community Garden, porta-potty, two sculptures. • Whitman Glen Park: Great open area for a Parks Alive! coffee house/acoustic concert on Aug.
13. • Matera Glen Park: Playground, asphalt basketball court, skateboard feature, two picnic tables. • Cross Glen Park: Playground, tennis court, picnic table.
• Newport Glen Park: Children’s playground, picnic table. • Millard Glen Park: Secret Pond. "The parks along the Brandt’s Creek Linear Park are one of the best examples I’ve seen of wetlands restored or constructed to handle excess water.
These projects are a win for people and for wildlife. The people get a lovely natural amenity to enjoy and the wildlife get a bit of their natural homeland back," said Geoff. Photo: Map courtesy Ride with GPS The City of Kelowna website doesn't use the best Google map to illustrate the entire route for Brandt's Creek Linear Park so the Ride with GPS app was used recently to document the route of the 4.
3-kilometre trail which starts at Valley/Summit and ends at Millard Court West. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet..
