The Okanagan Lake Bridge (also known as the Kelowna Floating Bridge) was a three-lane, long floating bridge in

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

. It crossed

Okanagan Lake Okanagan Lake ( oka, kɬúsx̌nítkw) is a lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. The lake is long, between wide, and has a surface area of 348 km2 (135 sq. mi.). Hydrography Okanagan Lake is called a fjord lake as i ...

, connecting the Westside area to

Kelowna Kelowna ( ) is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley in the southern interior of British Columbia, Canada. It serves as the head office of the Regional District of Central Okanagan. The name Kelowna derives from the Okanagan word ''ki� ...

on the lake's eastern side. Taller boats such as sailboats were able to pass under the lift span which was located at the east end of the bridge.

History

Completed in 1958 and officially opened by

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

, the bridge was the first of its kind in Canada. The bridge was partially funded through tolls, which were collected from its opening until April 1, 1963. Originally the bridge only had 2 lanes, (1 in each direction), but in 1984 the bridge deck was reconfigured and a third lane was added. This new lane became a counter-flow lane, and would allow the lanes to adjust to traffic demand at different times of the day. In 1991 the bridge underwent major electrical repairs and a breakwater was removed. The bridge served as an important regional transportation link in the

Okanagan Valley The Okanagan ( ), also known as the Okanagan Valley and sometimes as the Okanagan Country, is a region in the Canadian province of British Columbia defined by the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan River. It is part ...

, joining the southward section of

Highway 97 Route 97, or Highway 97, may refer to: Australia - Olympic Dam Highway, South Australia Canada * British Columbia Highway 97 ** British Columbia Highway 97A ** British Columbia Highway 97B ** British Columbia Highway 97C ** British Columb ...

on the west side of the lake to the northward section on the east side, and connecting

West Kelowna West Kelowna, formerly known as Westbank and colloquially known as Westside, is a city in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. The city encompasses several distinct neighbourhoods, including Casa Loma, Gellatly, Glenrosa, Lakeview Heights, Shan ...

and other southern points to

Lake Country Lake Country is a district municipality with a population of approximately 15,000 in the Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of the Central Okanagan Regional District, and of the Kelowna metropolitan area. The city ...

and other northern points. Okanagan Lake Bridge lift span

Replacement

The floating bridge was replaced as it outlived its usefulness and was incapable of supporting the traffic levels. The construction of the new replacement bridge—the

William R. Bennett Bridge The William R. Bennett Bridge is a pontoon bridge in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Completed on May 25, 2008, the bridge replaced the older Okanagan Lake Bridge built in 1958 to link Downtown Kelowna to West Kelowna across Okan ...

—began in 2005 and was completed in 2008. The new bridge opened on May 25, 2008, and the old bridge closed May 31, 2008. It was decommissioned in 2009. A concrete anchor from the original bridge was raised to surface and set at the corner of Highway 97 and Ellis Street in Downtown Kelowna.

Notes

External links

* {{Structurae, id=20013686, title=Kelowna Floating Bridge Bridges completed in 1958 Buildings and structures in Kelowna Demolished buildings and structures in British Columbia Former toll bridges in Canada Pontoon bridges Road bridges in British Columbia Transport in Kelowna Vertical lift bridges in Canada Buildings and structures demolished in 2009