Concerns raised over future of Kelowna’s Knox Mountain Park caretaker role

The future of the live-in caretaker role at Kelowna's popular Knox Mountain Park is uncertain, sparking concern among residents and regular park users. The City of Kelowna is currently reviewing the position as longtime caretaker Mark Goddard is set to retire later this year.

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I think it’s very important that somebody is up here, ultimately important.

Among the possibilities being considered is the elimination of the on-site caretaker, a prospect that troubles many who frequent the park or live nearby. Nancy Spencer, who hikes in the park daily, stressed the importance of having someone present on the mountain for oversight, particularly for quick responses to fires or suspicious activity.

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People are in there with motorbikes, homeless population, encampments, those types of things. So the community overall, in general, is concerned that without having somebody present, those things will kind of go unchecked.

Residents living near the 385-hectare park echo these concerns, citing issues such as motorbikes, homeless encampments, and general security. Dan Brown, president of the Clifton Magic Neighbourhood Association, fears these problems could go unchecked without a resident caretaker.

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We’re not reducing services to Knox Mountain Park. We are actively trying to increase services.

Thomas Martin, urban forester with the City of Kelowna, assured that services to the park would not be reduced, but rather that the city is exploring the most effective delivery model. He noted the park's significant expansion in size and visitor numbers over the past two decades, suggesting the original caretaking model may no longer be sufficient for the current scale of the park and its trail network.

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We have to look at that. Is it a position that is needed to be in the park full time, or is it a position that is off site? So that’s something that’s under review.