WAVE Prize Announcement: Kelowna
Funding brings City Park swimming venue to life
The Project
Swim Drink Fish has announced the City of Kelowna as a recipient of the WAVE Prize, which will provide funding to bring the City's vision for a swimming structure on Okanagan Lake to life.
The City Park swim venue will play a key role in activating Kelowna's waterfront year round and offer a one-of-a-kind waterfront experience that:
Expands access to Okanagan Lake
Promotes active living
Supports social inclusion
Fosters environmental stewardship
The conceptual plan calls for protected swimming areas, eight 50-metre swim, sun decks, shade areas, capacity for water polo and recreational programming, a multi-height jumping platform, accessible gangways, changerooms, outdoor showers and a Nordic cold-plunge area with the potential for year-round use. Access to the swim venue will be free to the public.
Kelowna’s growing population has increased demand for waterfront recreation beyond the capacity of existing facilities. Expanding access to swimming infrastructure will provide opportunities for residents to connect with the lake, while supporting community wellbeing.
The swim venue is being made possible through a $12.9 million donation to Swim Drink Fish from the Weston family, with an additional $5.1 million in capital funding from the City of Kelowna.
Currently in the final stages of design, the swim venue is expected to begin construction in late 2026 with a projected opening in 2027.
We respectfully acknowledge that the project takes place on the unceded, traditional, ancestral territory of the syilx Peoples.
“Around the world, communities are reimagining are their waterfronts, transforming them into places where people don’t just look at the water, but can swim, gather, and connect. Today we are delighted to help Kelowna re-establish a historic public swimming destination on Okanagan Lake and strengthen the community's connection to their local waters.”
"Okanagan Lake is at the heart of our community, and this investment will create new opportunities for everyone to enjoy the waterfront for generations to come. For the first time in decades, this part of City Park will once again be a place where people can swim, gather, and connect on the lake. We're grateful to Swim Drink Fish and the Weston family for helping make this project possible."
About the WAVE Prize
The WAVE Prize (Waterfront Access, Vitality, and Engagement) is a Swim Drink Fish-led initiative to improve urban waterfront areas and strengthen the well-being of local communities. Made possible by the generous support of the Weston family, the WAVE Prize is providing grants of $3 to 15 million to each recipient local governments and First Nations across B.C. to help build natural water swimming structures.
Media Announcement
Read our announcement media release