Kamloops will be pursuing more than $4 million in grants for work at Riverside Park.

If approved, the city would do flood mitigation work, upgrade infrastructure and build an outdoor skating rink.

The grant funding would make up 73 per cent of total costs for those projects.

Council voted unanimously to apply, and Coun. Mike O’Reilly says the money would do wonders for Riverside Park.

“I think we need to keep our crown jewel our crown jewel. And the fact that it’s being funded 73 per cent by other levels of government, it’s almost a gift to us. And I do worry that if we didn’t apply, that money is gonna be spent somewhere (else).”

Coun. Dale Bass says she’s most concerned about the flood mitigation component of the work.

“When I first moved here in 1999, Riverside Park was really flooded and you couldn’t do much there. So the key part for me is erosion more than anything else.”

The remaining $1.8 million for the work would come from the city’s gaming grant reserves.