Castanet – Oct 8, 2024
The City of Kelowna does not have a municipal (city-owned and operated) golf course, even though Kelowna is considered a top tourist and recreational centre.
A municipal golf course provides affordable recreational opportunities for the general public and is a big draw for visitors to the city, so it greatly adds tourist income.
Kelowna Springs Golf Course has been in operation for more than 30 years, is professionally designed and is walkable so it is used by younger and older golfers and those in between.
The golf course occupies approximately 43 hectares and has natural springs, so it does not rely on municipal water. There are more than 600 trees on the site, which are important for countering climate change and the area is important as a wildlife habitat in both summer and winter.
Kelowna Springs Golf Course also provides huge flood management and protection to city infrastructure. Many cities are now trying to restore waterways and lowlands that have been managed and controlled because of urbanization, to perform natural water management services to reduce flooding and save costs.
As Kelowna Springs Golf Course is a natural flood management site, it reduces flooding of the adjacent agricultural land and infrastructure downstream of Mill Creek, including the Kelowna Airport, which is very important to (the city), residents, and tourism. That saves the city millions of dollars in infrastructure management by providing natural flood protection and reducing damage to adjacent agricultural businesses.
The city is buying land for parks in anticipation of an increased population and so the purchase of Kelowna Springs Golf Course, already laid out and operational would be an easy transition for the city. It is an amenity that pays for itself and could even provide funds for other recreational facilities in Kelowna. It could be used for cross country skiing in the winter.
On Sept.10, the city approved a budget for new parks of $358 million. Some of those funds could be used to purchase Kelowna Springs from the developer. The 2024 City of Kelowna audit report (May 13, 2024) stated the city has a total operating annual surplus of $137 million and an accumulated surplus of $2.5 billion. The city is what one would call “flush.”
The report also states the city is in a “strong” financial position. It can afford this.
The city should engage qualified engineers and hydrologists to determine the value of Kelowna Springs Golf Course for flood protection of city infrastructure and farms so it can be included as a line item in the budget.
In terms of the “need” for industrial land, the Central Okanagan’s industrial real estate vacancy rate jumped 28% (Sept.10), so any new industrial use can be put on existing vacant industrial land.
Kelowna Springs should be purchased by the City of Kelowna as a municipal golf course for many reasons.
Mayor Tom Dyas said if he was elected in 2022, he would fight to save Kelowna Springs Golf Course from (becomes home to) warehouses. Most of the other current councillors said they would as well.
Now is the time. (My) proposal is found here: https://susanames.ca/kelowna-springs-golf-course/detailed proposal has been submitted to the city to purchase Kelowna Springs Golf Course as a municipal golf course.
Susan Ames, Kelowna
October 8 2024 Castanet
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/510727/City-should-buy-golf-course
