Walkers and joggers will be able to use the full length of the Okanagan waterfront walkway in early January.
A new section of the walkway was opened on Monday, but there is still work left to do before the full length is reopened to the public.
According to the latest estimates, the project, which was originally hoped to be completed in mid-November, will be finished by the end of the first week of January.
“They still have one more concrete pour left to do,” said the city’s director of operations, Mitch Moroziuk, adding that he expected the pour would be done by Christmas Eve.
“Then it needs to be tarped so the concrete can cure, and the tarping won’t be removed until the first week of January.”
Crews from the contractor, Kenyon Construction, have been working through the early cold weather to complete the project, but have needed to do some extra work to set up the concrete.
“They were heating the ground and insulating and heating the concrete as it was curing,” said Moroziuk.
“We will be continuing to open the remainder of the walkway from Power Street to the SS Sicamous from now to the end of the first week in January.”
Litke said he recognized the pent up demand for the popular walkway when they were opening the latest section on Monday.
“The strollers and the joggers were racing by us as we opened the sidewalk,” said Litke.
“We thought we were the first on to the pavement.
“We started walking but immediately it was being well used by the public so that was very satisfying to see, not withstanding the fact it was cold and windy out there.”
Litke also said the curb letdowns for wheelchair and scooter access were smooth with no bumps.
“Mr. Pichette has had an effect,” he said, referring to an afternoon he spent with accessibility advocate Doug Pichette, who put the mayor in a wheelchair to experience the bumps and rough spots for himself.