Kelowna to expropriate part of hotel boardwalk after access dispute

Kelowna city council has approved steps to expropriate a section of the waterfront boardwalk outside Hotel Eldorado after a longrunning dispute over public access and repairs. The city said the move is intended to protect continued access to the waterfront walkway, which has remained closed for months behind barriers during the summer. Officials described expropriation as a last resort after other options were exhausted. The boardwalk sits on private property, but the city says the public has a legal right to use it through a statutory right of way that has been upheld by B.C. courts. The current conflict began after the walkway was closed in June 2025 over structural concerns, including rotting planks and the risk of a sudden failure. The expropriation process applies only to the section in front of Hotel Eldorado. The city has not said when work on the boardwalk might begin, and the hotel has not yet publicly responded to the latest move.