Concept sketches show roadside gondola being pitched in B.C.'s Okanagan

An attraction similar to Squamish's Sea to Sky Gondola is being proposed for B.C.'s Interior.

The proposal, which will be presented to the Regional District of the North Okanagan "soon," outlines a roadside gondola that would take riders 317 metres (1,600 feet) above Highway 97.

The new gondola would be a "multi-faceted experience showcasing the glorious Kalamalka Lake," according to Wesbild Okanagan's Brad Pelletier.

"If there is any viewpoint deserving of a gondola, it's the jewel of the Okanagan, Kalamalka Lake," he said in a news release.

It would be built along Highway 97, not far from Predator Ridge and Sparkling Hill Resort, Pelletier said.

The pitch, which so far does not include a price tag, includes that the gondola would be built by the company behind another attraction in the Interior: the Golden Skybridge.

The suspension bridge over a canyon in the Columbia Valley is Canada's highest, its operators boast.

The proposal includes three stations along the gondola – base, mid-level and summit – and that only 10 acres of the 285-acre site would be used. It was not clear from the pitch who the land is currently owned by.

The rest would remain untouched and undisturbed, those behind the plan said, claiming all on-site activities would have a low environmental impact.

Those activities would include mountain biking, hiking and ziplining. The site would have an interpretive centre, restaurant and patio, viewing platforms, an amphitheatre, cafes, a farmers market, playgrounds and retailers, as well as a lit-up path for walks at night.

The pitch includes phases like "resort-inspired," "community engagement" "natural setting" and "stunning views," and promises to use the opportunity to highlight the Indigenous history of the area.

It says operators would offer season passes, and potentially give local residents a discount, but it does not get in to what visitors would be expected to pay to access the attraction.

Concept sketches show what the site could look like, if the project is approved. If the regional district signs off, construction would start next year, with the goal of a partial opening in 2024.

Photos from Okanagan Gondola