Okanagan College secures $14 M for new recreation and wellness centre in Kelowna
Okanagan College announced that its Thrive Here fundraising campaign has reached its $14 million target for the Don Folk and Family Recreation and Wellness Centre on the Kelowna campus. The campaign began with a $5 million gift from the Folk family and grew through contributions from honorary campaign chairs Cliff and Lois Serwa, local businesses, alumni, and hundreds of individual donors. The City of Kelowna added a further $4 million, enabling the project to move forward.
Construction, which started in 2023, is slated to finish in the fall of 2026. The planned facility will feature a competition‑size gymnasium, a fitness suite, a weight room, an elevated indoor walking track, flexible fitness studios, and seating for more than 700 spectators. It will serve both students and the wider community, hosting intramural sports, public fitness activities, and convocation ceremonies. Helen Jackman, executive director of the Okanagan College Foundation, praised the collective effort, saying the achievement belongs to the entire community.
Entities: City of Kelowna · Cliff Serwa · Don Folk and Family Recreation and Wellness Centre · Helen Jackman · Okanagan College
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 8 SOURCES] The fundraising campaign was launched with a $5 million donation from the Folk family. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Okanagan College raised $14 million for the Don Folk and Family Recreation and Wellness Centre. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Cliff Serwa served as an honorary campaign chair and donated to the fundraising effort. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The centre will be open to the public and used for convocation ceremonies. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Helen Jackman is the executive director of the Okanagan College Foundation. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] Construction of the centre began in 2023 and is scheduled for completion in fall 2026. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The City of Kelowna contributed an additional $4 million to the project. (all articles)
- [● 8 SOURCES] The centre will include a competition-size gymnasium, fitness suite, weight room, indoor walking track, flexible fitness studios, and seating for over 700 spectators. (all articles)