LETTER: Residents along Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail unhappy with owners

'Many local farmers are NOT celebrating the opening of the trail'

LETTER: Residents along Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail unhappy with owners Published 7:35 am Thursday, July 16, 2026 The article by Noah Peckham, Rail trail rolls into Grindrod, is in incorrect in tone and fact. Many local farmers are NOT celebrating the opening of the trail.

Many are still dissatisfied in that the requirements set by the Agricultural Land Commission before opening have not been met. The farm of the Skuratovs, who were quoted as being happy about the trail, is NOT adjacent to it, contrary to the article. The opening is non-compliant with the conditions set forth in Section 32 of the Agricultural Land Commission final decision in this matter, dated Oct. 28, 2025.

It states that trail opening is conditional on meeting requirements of landowners in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). My property, in the ALR, is bisected by the rail trail. My requirement is for a a legal easement to allow me to cross the rail trail – which is under discussion but has not been granted.

If you were to do a survey, you would find that many owners of properties REALLY adjacent to the trail are very unhappy with the actions of the trail owners, and the trail opening. Peter Vander Sar