Kelowna Springs Golf Course has its own page
https://susanames.ca/kelowna-springs-golf-course/
Jun 12, 2025 @ 02:00pm KelownaNow Susan Ames
Use road money elsewhere
Castanet – Dec 12, 2025
Kelowna Is facing a housing crisis so why is Kelowna city hall obsessed with saving drivers five minutes?
It’s time Kelowna got its priorities straight. We are in the middle of an affordable housing emergency, yet the city appears fixated on two costly road extension projects, Clement Avenue and Burtch Road, which might save drivers a grand total of five minutes. Five minutes, in exchange for millions of dollars, while families struggle to find a place they can actually afford to live.
Urban centres like Rutland and Pandosy are being densified at a rapid pace and the province has gone so far as to mandate housing with no residential parking on the assumption transit will handle it. Really? Has anyone from the province actually taken Kelowna transit lately? Buses are infrequent, especially in the evenings, and the city has no plans to increase service for at least five years because the bus yard can’t hold any more buses. That is not a transportation strategy, that’s wishful thinking dressed up as planning.
The fallback argument that residents can just bike rings hollow when our cycling network, while decent, is still not safe or connected enough to be a genuine alternative for most people.
If leadership actually cared about long-term solutions, it would cancel the Clement and Burtch extensions today (south Burtch Road cutting past the Munson Pond walking area from KLO to Byrnes Road), and divert the $250 million into building a transit system that works, create safe bike routes that people actually trust and forgive development cost charges to get affordable housing built now, not years from now.
The $250 million sunk into these two road projects are dollars taken directly away from addressing the real affordability crisis residents are living through.
Kelowna is not in a travel time crisis over five lost minutes. It is in affordable housing crisis. It needs leadership that finally stops dodging the real issue and starts investing where it actually matters, in making the city affordable.
Paul Clark
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/589121/Use-road-money-elsewhere
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KelownaNow posted Dec 11, 2025 @ 06:00pm by Eric Stansfield
Your Voice: Removing or diminishing one of Kelowna’s premier parks is deeply troubling
Dear Mayor Dyas and Members of City Council,
Re: Proposed 1,600-Seat Performing Arts Centre in Waterfront Park
We are writing to express our profound concern and astonishment that the City of Kelowna is considering the construction of a large performing arts facility within one of the city’s most cherished and heavily used green spaces, Pioneer Gardens, which falls within our beautiful Waterfront Park.
The prospect of removing or diminishing this treasured area in what is arguably Kelowna’s premier park is deeply troubling.
Waterfront Park serves the community in countless ways: it hosts festivals, Canada Day celebrations, and a wide range of public events. Daycare centres bring children there daily to enjoy the accessible, well-maintained grounds.
We have personally witnessed hundreds of family gatherings, weddings, reunions, and community “fun days” take place in this space over the years.
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Photo Credit: Google Maps
It is one of the few central, open green areas available to residents living in the city’s most densely populated neighbourhoods. Eliminating or obstructing this space would deprive the community of a vital public resource.
We are equally concerned about the impact on traffic and parking. Even on regular days—without a Rockets game—parking along Water Street and Sunset Drive is scarce, and the Waterfront parking lot remains consistently full. The idea of adding theatre events to this already strained environment is alarming.
During Rockets games, visitors already park as far north as St. Paul and Bertram Streets. Introducing another major venue in this location would create significant congestion and logistical challenges.
Beyond these practical concerns, the proposed location stands in direct conflict with the City’s own Official Community Plan, the Parks and Open Spaces Master Plan, and various relevant regulations, including the Parks and Public Spaces Bylaw.
And what about the Kelowna Parks Foundation, which works with the city to support the development, enhancement, and protection of our parkland and green spaces, not the removal! At a time when this City is actively working to expand green spaces, the notion of eliminating one of the most valued and widely used parks is difficult to comprehend.
We urge the city council to reconsider this proposal and explore alternative sites—such as the former RCMP building lot—which would be far more suitable for a new performing arts centre without compromising essential public green space.
Thank you for your consideration. We trust that Council will prioritize the long-term interests of the community and preserve Waterfront Park for future generations.
Sincerely,
Eric & Lynda Stansfield
Kelowna
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Your Voice posted Dec 9, 2025 @ 08:00pm by David Buckna
Your Voice: Using green space for the new Kelowna performing arts centre is simply wrong
KelownaNow Dec 9 2025
Re: Kelowna council endorses Performing Arts Centre proposal (Dec.1)
Why didn’t the city staff consider up to 10 city-owned sites for a new performing arts centre, given the large amount of property the city owns? Because the choices were limited to only four sites, it’s not surprising the Pioneer Gardens site was chosen.
Pioneer Gardens is a specific area within Kelowna’s Waterfront Park that is a grass and tree-filled space with shade trees, located at the front of the park on Water Street, near the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort.
During the Dec. 1 afternoon Kelowna council meeting, Coun. Maxine DeHart commented about Pioneer Gardens: “It’s a site that I never even thought of because it’s sort of just there, but there’s nothing there. … The park is very under-utilized, just as I said. I walk by it I don’t know how many times. I don’t even think of it as a park.”
(Yes, there’s nothing there except mature trees and green space. Shocking, isn’t it?)
Coun. Loyal Wooldridge added: “I, too, didn’t really consider this site… The site itself is under-utilized… so it wasn’t really on my radar because I kind of forget about it, to be honest.”
Notice the two councillors’ belief: If green space is left in its natural state– containing several mature trees and grass–it is considered to be under-utilized (under-used).
But Coun. Gordon Lovegrove considered the environment: “… I’m really concerned about using a park for performing arts that’s gonna have parking potentially as part of it, where there’s a parking lot available right there that’s bigger, with views in the same vicinity that could also be used, that wasn’t acknowledged in this report.”
(Lovegrove is referring to the parking lot beside Bouchons Bistro, across the street from One Water Street West Tower.)
Using green space for the new Kelowna performing arts centre is simply wrong.
Pioneer Gardens is used for events such as the annual Canada Day festivities, and also by children who reside in the nearby condominium communities.
From the 1970 folk rock classic by Cat Stevens:
“I know we’ve come a long way
We’re changing day to day
But tell me, where do the children play?”
“Well, you roll on roads over fresh green grass
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas
And you make them long, and you make them tough
But they just go on and on, and it seems that you can’t get off”
I would add: What is the cost of “progress?” Is it really “progress” to cut down mature trees and pave over the “fresh green grass” of Pioneer Gardens and Kelowna Springs Golf Course?
It’s time for everyone to read (or re-read) The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
The 1971 children’s book chronicles the plight of the environment and the Lorax, who “speaks for the trees” and confronts the Once-ler, a business magnate who causes environmental destruction.
In 2012 “The Lorax” was ranked number 33 among the “Top 100 Picture Books” in a survey published by School Library Journal – the second of five Dr. Seuss books on the list.
Watch two thought-provoking videos of “Where Do the Children Play”:
1. Yusuf / Cat Stevens – Where Do The Children Play? (Jun 11, 2020) created by Chris Hopewell & Black Dog Films.
2. Where Do the Children Play by Yusuf – Cat Stevens (Mar 25, 2023) by Tom Nickolson.
For more information:
Your Voice: This could become the most controversial issue before Kelowna’s municipal election (Dec.1)
Video: Kelowna City Council Meeting (1:30 pm, Dec. 1)
Mayor and councillor remarks about the performing arts centre proposal begin at the 40 minute mark.
David Buckna
Kelowna
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KelownaNow posted Dec 9, 2025 by Edward Harper
Your Voice: Kelowna needs more trees and parks, not fewer
Dear Mayor Dyas and Councillors,
With dismay we learned of the proposal to situate a new 1,600-seat performing arts building in Waterfront Park.
We need to at least retain our existing parks. Kelowna needs more trees and parks, not less. There are so many potential locations for this large new structure that would not require destruction of valued green space.
Please – over the deliberations of the study committee; and of the recommendations of the presenters who participated in the committee’s work; and the debatable wisdom of densification; and the Civic Precinct Plan to consolidate cultural venues in the downtown; and the vague suggestions of increased costs associated with other areas; — over all these arguments that favour chopping a huge hole in Kelowna’s prized park, please send this recommendation back for reworking.
Photo credit: KelownaNow
It is beyond comprehension why at the same time that we deliberate what to develop on the enormous vacant north-end Tolko site we would consciously remove trees and reduce well-used parkland for the construction of this facility.
Kelowna has taken some excellent steps in greening certain areas of the City.
Please do not negate your progress on making the city more livable.
Sincerely,
Edward Harper
Kelowna
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Your Voice posted Dec 1, 2025 @ 09:00pm by David Buckna
Your Voice: This could become the most controversial issue before Kelowna’s municipal election
KelownaNow Dec 1st 2025
Re: Task force unveils vision for 1,600-seat Okanagan Centre for the Performing Arts (Nov. 27, 2025)
At Monday’s 1:30 pm council meeting (Dec. 1), council will hear a report (Item 4.2) from the Community Task Force on Performing Arts, which proposes a new performing arts centre be built at Pioneer Gardens, next to the Dolphins statue.
The news article states this green space was identified by the task force as the preferred site.
The five-page online “Report to Council” from city manager Doug Gilchrist (dated Dec. 1)
https://kelownapublishing.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=53720
states it was city staff who did the analysis of four city-owned sites, then identified Pioneer Gardens as the preferred site for a new performing arts centre. (page 3)
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Photo Credit: City of Kelowna
It begs the question: Why destroy green space, which should remain for the public to enjoy a bit of nature, especially in view of the city’s ongoing plans to increase the population in the downtown?
On Oct. 17 a city news release stated the city had purchased “key waterfront properties” which include the site of the former Willow Inn Hotel (now a vacant lot) for $27.8 million from Westcorp.
Was the Pioneer Gardens site chosen before or after the city’s Oct. 17 news release?
A new performing arts centre would be ideal for this location — not a fancy 5-star hotel for the rich who can easily afford to spend $700 – $1000 per night for a room in the summer months.
Former Kelowna councillor Sharron Simpson said in October that since these waterfront properties are now publicly owned — belonging to taxpayers — it should spark a community-wide discussion on their future use. Instead of a hotel, one of the alternatives she suggested were cultural facilities.
This may well become one of, if not *the* most controversial issue before the Oct. 2026 Kelowna municipal election.
Kelowna council: Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
For more information:
City of Kelowna spends $27.8M on downtown marina, land for mega-hotel project (Oct 16, 2025)
Profoundly wrong’: Ex-councillor slams Kelowna’s $27.8M waterfront deal as developer bailout (Oct 21, 2025)
https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Kelowna/Profoundly_wrong_Ex_councillor_slams_Kelowna_s_27_8M_waterfront_deal_as_developer_bailout/
David Buckna
Kelowna
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I’m dismayed that Kelowna bus fares are going to increase
Kelowna transit fares going up – should they?
I am dismayed that Kelowna bus service costs are going to increase October 1, 2025 for all individuals. I should think that the goal is to get the public used to taking public transit and getting them out of their cars, but this will drive them to use their cars more.
This will put a burden on seniors who are on a fixed income and may no longer be able to drive.
A single ride used to be $2.50 and would cover 90 minutes so people could get to their destination and back on the one fare. Now, it will cost $3 for all people including youth and the person will have to purchase a day pass of $6 to get this benefit of 90 minutes.
Post-secondary students 30-day passes will increase from $55 to $65. This is the age group we want to get used to public transit. In some cities, youth and seniors travel on buses for free. Youth in Kelowna, including post-secondary students, and seniors should have free public transit. Adults generally should have reduced transit costs, as well, to get them out of their cars.
Can Kelowna afford this? Certainly. Kelowna sends money to a foreign country to manage our transit drivers. Let’s get that back to save money. How much? $500,000 a year? How many seniors and youth would that cover in Kelowna?
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The city is planning a series of new roads such as the Clement Extension that will go through wetlands and along the rail trail at a cost of $135 Million. The Burtch Road extension will run through agricultural land and close to Munson Pond for a cost of $20 Million. The Hollywood Extension will cross agricultural land and come close to Carney Pond at a cost of $35 Million.
Do we need these? No. The Clement Extension runs parallel to Enterprise Way. The Burtch Road extension is parallel to Gordon Drive so why put a new road parallel to an existing road? The people travelling on the Hollywood extension will be able to see the cars from Highway 97 and it actually will connect to Highway 97 anyway so there will be more congestion where they meet. Let’s add these up – $190 Million!
How many youth and seniors could this cover? How many new buses would that cover? Electric buses? This is the way to reduce congestion and save money and save the environment, agricultural land, wetlands, etc. It is well documented that building more roads doesn’t reduce congestion and what about increasing the costs of transit on the backs of our seniors and youth? Is this nice? No.
How do the Mayor and the Councillors think this is OK? Ask them.
Susan Ames
Kelowna
Good news- see below for Nov 18 2025!
Advocates applaud NDP push for free transit for all B.C. youth and seniors
Resolutions passed at party’s annual convention also call for more investment, deprivatization Nov 18, 2025 Today in BC
On Saturday (Nov. 15), the B.C. NDP convention held in Victoria passed two resolutions supporting transit in the province.
The first resolution calls for the expansion of fare-free public transit to all B.C. youth age 19 and under and seniors aged 60 and older.
The second resolution calls for investments in high-quality public transit systems, de-privatizing parts of the system currently run by private companies and implementing an intercommunity bus system.
The first resolution was submitted by Vancouver-Langara, and the second was a composite resolution submitted by the BC Federation of Labour, BC Young New Democrats, CUPE BC, Esquimalt-Colwood, and Vancouver-Point Grey.
Victoria Transit Riders Union (VTRU) interim chair Liz Cronin said that NDP delegates supporting these changes to transit is commendable.
“Seniors and youth especially need relief in the midst of this affordability crisis – providing them with free access to improved transit will permit them to reach family, recreation, employment, and food” she said.
“No part of this system should ever have been privatized and we’re pleased that the delegates are demanding de-privatization.”
Union member Nathan Bird said that taking climate change seriously means heavily investing in public transit, expanding, improving it and making it more accessible.
“Free transit for youth helps cultivate a generation of transit riders, which will increase affordability, lower emissions, and reduce congestion,” said Saanich Coun. Teale Phelps Bondaroff, who was also a delegate at the NDP convention (Victoria-Swan Lake),.
VTRU also called on B.C. NDP government for not acting on UBCM’s request to expand the provincewide Get on Board! Fare-free transit program to include youth up to Grade 12 instead of the current age 12 and provide permanent, sustainable funding to do so.
New heritage guidelines will not protect Kelowna’s conservation areas
June 12, 2025 KelownaNow
The new heritage guidelines will not protect Kelowna’s Heritage Conservation Area(s)
Did you know that Kelowna staff are presenting the new draft heritage guidelines for the Abbott (and Marshall) Heritage Conservation Areas (HCAs) at a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 (5:15 pm)? If approved, they will become part of the Official Community Plan and we know how difficult that is to change, “after the fact”. Where is this little gem in Kelowna where over 20,000 residents and tourists stroll, jog, cycle, and more, through the calm, quiet neighbourhoods lined with trees, heritage homes with their own signs, and access to several beach entrances to the lake? The favourite Abbott Corridor and the adjoining streets, many without sidewalks.
This area is less than ½ km squared but it will soon be peppered with contemporary homes, and 6-storey apartment buildings in the southern 25% of the HCA. Why? Because even though these new guidelines are meant to protect the HCA, they won’t.
The new guidelines provide discretion to planning staff to increase density beyond the 4 units promised for the area (the provincial mandate); reduce setbacks; increase the height and scale of new builds, and more. Discretion is the key word which will allow variances to the guidelines and regulations. Why bother with guidelines if they don’t have to be followed? What about Kelowna’s heritage and the heritage homes? Not saved.
The new homes/builds are to be contemporary in style. Why? This is not recommended for the rest of the city so why is it in the heritage conservation area? Because that is what the professional heritage consultants deem appropriate. Do we have to follow their policies? No. This is our heritage conservation area that is so well loved.
The city knows that the Abbott Heritage Conservation Area is on the Mill Creek Floodplain and is also on the Okanagan Lake Floodplain. The province says floodplains are exempt from transit oriented areas (TOAs) allowing for the 6-storey apartment buildings and land assemblies. This means that the TOA overlying the HCA should not occur. The city has ignored this. Why?
Come to the public hearing and speak up and/ or write to the Mayor and Councillors (mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca). The council needs to request the staff discretion be removed and variances not allowed. The heritage homes need to be protected. The TOA should be taken off the HCA because the HCA is not only on one floodplain, but two! See you there!
Susan Ames
Kelowna
Continuous reassurance Capitol News August 16 2025
Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas keeps bringing up the new Parkinson Recreation Centre and telling us how great it will be for us for decades to come.
The latest is a narrative about his family’s long enjoyment of the current facility (Courier/Herald Aug. 6).
The reason the city administration has to continually build it up is because we the residents had no input into the design or location.
During the late 2010s to 2021, while our administrators were kicking around ideas internally and the price was rising, the City of New Westminster, lacking the arrogance and egos of our top administrators, were actually consulting with residents on what they wanted in a new recreation centre. This extensive consultation lasted about two years, and so by April 2021 they broke ground on their new centre, priced at $110 million.
Around the same date, Kelowna council enthusiastically and unanimously approved a building for $134 million (roughly $240 million including interest), of course with no consultation, drawings or scale model to show residents. Within two months they scrapped the idea, and came up with another facility for $242 million ($440 million with interest) and passed it (as did the current council), again providing no idea of what we would be getting. One just doesn’t question senior management at Kelowna city hall.
How have things turned out? The New Westminster recreation centre is in full operation (cost $110 million), and it won a prestigious Versaille Award in 2024 for the interior of a new sports facility, defeating facilities in Beijing and Boston, among other cities, and the Paris Olympic Aquatic Centre.
Kelowna? We are still getting words of praise from mayor and council for this mysterious, over-priced and poorly located building (kids will now be running next to the highway).
Don’t worry folks, they tell us it is perfect. And as for our families’ future long-term relation with Parkinson, well at a minimum it will be, as promised, tied to significantly increased property taxes for 30 years.
Don Henderson
Kelowna
Reaction not NIMBY
Contributed – Mar 13, 2025 / 11:59 am | Story: 538417
Re. Pushing back on NIMBYs, (Castanet, Feb. 25)
I found the comments from the Kelowna city councillors related to concerns of several members of the community quite interesting.
This concerns construction of nine townhouses on a single-family lot at 2236 Stillingsfleet Road (in Kelowna).
The province stated in 2024 municipalities could not refuse four units on a single-family lot (if the proposal met a minimum size). That was to increase density. The City of Kelowna took it one step further and said six units, a 50% increase in density over what the province requested.
So how do we get to nine units on a single-family lot? Not only that but they will also be tall—three storeys high, extending front to back on the lot. That’s a lot to squeeze on one residential lot.
One councillor noted people are supportive of densification until it arrives on their street. I think people are supportive of four units, maybe six, but nine units? Not all densification is the same.
Another councillor said people don’t want six-storey apartment buildings next door. That seems a little out of touch. He stated there are some challenges in neighbourhoods. He mentioned council is doing its best to mitigate it. How about four townhouses, two-storeys tall set, back so there are trees and some green-space and they don’t loom over the adjacent properties? Approving the project as requested doesn’t come across as mitigation in any way.
Yet another councillor mentioned they live in an infill area. Did the councillor move into an area where infill had already occurred? Not all infill is the same.
One councillor said he lives in an apartment building and there are three apartment buildings nearby. Did he choose to live there? We are not talking about choice in this instance. Further, he said he doesn’t think it’s as bad as some of the residents have stated. (But) they live there.
One of the councillors stated infill housing is part of the future planning. Again, not all infill is the same. This is extreme density.
Coun. Ron Cannan perhaps put it the best saying growth needs to be implemented more gradually, with a little more sensitivity to the character and form of the neighbourhood.
Susan Ames
https://www.castanetkamloops.net/edition/news-story-538417-10-.htm
What’s happened to Kelowna?
Daily Courier 4 Jan 2025
What a stinging rebuke of the planning and policies of the Mattiussi-Gilchrist-Smith management regime at the City of Kelowna, and the past two mayors and councils.
The Globe and Mail study of the most livable cities in Canada was published Dec. 16. The results for Kelowna were damning.
1. 100 most livable cities in Canada. Kelowna not among them.
2. Top 10 cities for retirement. Kelowna not among them.
3. Top 10 cities for entrepreneurs. Kelowna not among them.
4. Top 10 cities for raising children. Kelowna not among them.
5. Top 10 cities for young professionals. Kelowna not among them
6. Top 10 cities for midlife transition. Kelowna not among them
7. Top 10 cities for newcomers. Kelowna not among them.
The arrogance of the decision-making, the variances given to developers for height or width, unwillingness to accept any advice from outside on any topic, particularly in the case of the UBCO building disaster, the placement and type of drug rehabilitation centres, the indifference to the concerns of people affected by the decisions. and so much more.
The report is an objective assessment of how the city administration has done, and the result is a resounding F for failure. The residents, other Canadians and the facts have spoken. We have gone from desirable to undesirable in 15 years.
Don Henderson Kelowna
https://kelownadailycourier.pressreader.com/the-daily-courier/20250104/281715505248718/textview
Your Voice: Keep Kelowna airport off of agricultural land
Nov 11, 2024 KelownaNow -see link below
Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas is now calling the Kelowna Airport a campus!
Plans include a new hotel, although there is a Sheraton and Hampton Inn across the highway not five minutes away.
The plans also include an expansion of the terminal and an expansion of a childcare centre, which Mayor Dyas states it is a step toward addressing “the critical need for affordable, inclusive and high-quality childcare in Kelowna!”
At the airport? Can’t the workers and others access childcare where they live?
Why is this of interest? The mayor is now talking about expanding the airport “campus” to the east on more agricultural land.
Does the city look at agricultural land as vacant land to pave over? What about the preservation of agricultural land for our present and future food security being one of the pillars of the 2040 OCP? What happened to that pillar?
Unbeknown to most of us, the mayor has already been in Ottawa with the City’s senior leadership team to seek funding for this expansion onto the agricultural lands.
The mayor can’t be expected to know everything, so did the planning department inform the mayor that the land east of the airport is in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR)? Where is Kelowna’s Agricultural Advisory Committee on this? Does the Mayor and city staff think it is okay to expand the airport “campus” onto agricultural land? Does Kelowna airport need to be a “campus”? Couldn’t it just be an airport?
Shadow Ridge Golf Course – treed and green space is already destined to be an airport runway and now the mayor wants to expand onto the agricultural land to the east.
Somebody needs to speak up. How can the mayor talk about sustainability when he is talking about paving agricultural land? Something is wrong with this picture.
Susan Ames
Kelowna, BC
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Opposes city’s road plan
Contributed – Sep 9, 2024 / 9:39 am | Story: 505588
On Sept. 9, Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas and city councillors will vote on a plan to borrow $667 million, (and pay) unspecified interest, on roads and cut more affordable transit and active transportation projects.
This is shocking and is such outdated planning. It goes against the city’s 2040 Official Community Plan, the city’s Transportation Master Plan and prior to that, Imagine Kelowna.
We have climate change to worry about and this is going in the opposite direction. Get more buses on the road.
We need the mayor and councillors to oppose this. They have the ammunition, it goes against the OCP and Transportation Master Plan, it goes against climate change initiatives and residents can’t afford to borrow that much money.
Susan Ames, Kelowna
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/505588/Opposes-city-s-road-plan
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ALR not to blame for cost
Contributed – Aug 28, 2024 / 10:00 am | Story: 503631
Re: Alan Sanderson’s letter, Land prices too high in OK (Castanet, Aug. 27)
I agree land prices are too high in the Okanagan but let’s not blame the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
There is no comparison to the desirability of the suburbs of Saskatoon to B.C. and the Okanagan. Everyone wants to live in the sunny Okanagan. It is places like Kelowna (where land costs) $1 million.
A few years ago, the City of Kelowna allowed fourplexes on single family lots and suddenly, individuals were competing with developers for those houses and developers are hard to compete with. Prices of single-family homes doubled in a couple of years.
Then the city came up with a new land use designation called “Core Area Neighbourhood” in the the 2040 Official Community Plan (2022), which allowed any kind of development in any residential area . So, now developers can build apartment buildings on single family lots.
A lot of homeowners now consider their homes investments and want to cash in on this development frenzy, and that is what it is. To add to that, the city has to get its cut and apply development cost charges (DCCs) to new apartment/condo buildings and that drives up prices. Who pays for that? Homeowner and renters.
As house prices increase, new (homes) coming onto the market are price-matched and we have an out-of-control market. Homeowners have a gold mine and they are going to ask for whatever they can get, and on it goes. The increasing city taxes, the DCCs, housing speculation, local developers and those coming to the Okanagan from other cities to cash in, and the general “upzoning” are driving the house prices out of control.
Houses are now lumped into land assemblies, where sellers don’t even try to sell the them as homes but as development sites.
As David Ley stated in a 2022 Vancouver Sun column: “Once up-zoning occurs, the genie is out of the bottle, and the housing stock faces inflationary pressures the city cannot control.”
The ALR was established in 1973 as farmland was being lost to development at a rapid pace. Without this, we would have little, if any, good farmland left. The ALR covers less that 5% of the province. Eighty percent of B.C. residents live in the three critical agricultural areas, one of which is the Okanagan Valley.
We can’t rely on other countries for our food – they need it. The ALR needs to be retained to provide food for us now and in the future. Think of the ALR as a natural barrier, a no-go zone. It’s a non-renewable resource that supports everyone in B.C. and beyond.
Yes, it costs a lot to buy a starter home in the Okanagan, but it is the policies, the Okanagan climate, the central location and the proximity to Vancouver that is making it so desirable and, therefore, expensive. Susan Ames
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/503631/ALR-not-to-blame-for-cost
Letters
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Right recommendation
Contributed – Aug 12, 2024 / 9:05 am | Story: 501062
Re. RV park not supported (Castanet, Aug. 9)
It is the the right decision to stay off agricultural land
Yes, RV parking has disappeared in Kelowna to make way for fancy condos and the excessive building occurring in Kelowna. That is poor planning.
Penticton still has several RV parks and motels. Thank heaven. It is unfortunate that there is no longer a place for RVs in Kelowna. They will have to go to places like Penticton.
But the (City of Kelowna planning) staff have done the right thing (recommending) not allowing RV parking on our agricultural land. Using our farmland for non-farm uses is a slippery slope.
Our farmland must be protected for our present and future food security, not for housing.
Susan Ames
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/501062/Right-recommendation
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Questions pricey dog run
Contributed – Aug 1, 2024 / 3:15 pm | Story: 499728
At the May 13th, 2024 Kelowna city council meeting, council approved a dog run in City Park for $750,000.
It was an interesting process.
City staff presented a list of 10 projects that had council approval. However, Coun. Rick Webber didn’t remember a dog run in City Park ever being brought up. Mayor Tom Dyas asked city manager Doug Gilchrist to address this and he said a dog run is needed downtown.
Coun. Ron Cannan referred to the $750,000 for a dog run and asked why it was such a high cost. Fencing? The answer from staff was it would be a place where people wouldn’t want to leave. That’s it for $750,000?
So, is it really a dog run or something else? And why didn’t the councillors demand more information than “a place people won’t want to leave” before approving it? This strikes me as a flippant approach to spending $750,000.
The mayor and councillors keep telling us they are fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money. I say not in this case.
The public needs to know what this project really is and whatever it is, what will be the impact on the park and green space?
Susan Ames, Kelowna
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/499728/Questions-pricey-dog-run
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Where is the appropriate spot?
Dear Editor:
The Rise Memorial Foundation wants to put a memorial in Knowles Heritage Park, a small park with trees, gardens, a lawn area, and some benches, located in a residential area at the corner of Burnard Avenue and Ethel Street.
Originally, this was a memorial for the five people who were killed because of a collapsed crane on the Mission Group tower construction site in downtown Kelowna.
The foundation doesn’t want a memorial at or near the site.
The Memorial Foundation representative says the memorial has now expanded to everyone who has suffered or gone through something similar. It is not clear if the general public will have a reminder of worker safety, if that is the goal, as Knowles Heritage Park is not near the site nor in a busy public area.
The planned memorial will represent a rather large construction project that will involve concrete walkways and retaining walls over the southern corner of the park.
The projected cost is in the order of $340,000.
A construction accident occurred at the Bentall IV building in downtown Vancouver in 1981. A small memorial was put in place at the site. It is about the size of a 40-inch TV and shaped like a book with a description of the people who lost their lives.
A small memorial such as this, which has been effective in building public awareness in Vancouver for more than 40 years, would “fit” better in the park, be less expensive, probably in the order of $50,000, and could still be effective in bringing public awareness of construction accidents.
Hopefully, the Rise Memorial Foundation will consider a smaller memorial that will not include the concrete walkways and retaining walls and fit better into this small heritage park.
Currently, there is a decorative brick round that has to be removed as part of this planned memorial. It could be retained and provide a location for a small memorial.
Knowles Heritage Park — existing decorative brick round will be removed for the planned memorial. It could feature a smaller memorial and remain in place in the park.
Susan Ames
Kelowna
Daily Courier to the editor: letters@ok.bc.ca July 17, 2024
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Don’t pave park
Contributed – Jul 19, 2024 / 10:56 am | Story: 497812
The plan for the Rise Memorial in (Kelowna’s) Knowles Heritage Park for the five people killed in a crane collapse at a downtown construction site, with a large memorial “garden” involving concrete walkways and retaining walls, will have a major impact on this small park.
On July 12 the city announced contingency financial support for the memorial because of rising labour and material costs. Maybe it wouldn’t need so much money—the projected cost is $340,000—if it wasn’t planned to pave over part of the park.
Why can’t the memorial be similar to the effective ones that describe the reason for the memorial, such as the plaque at Vancouver’s Bentall Centre or the pedestal for three railroad workers who died in an accident at Field in 2019? People know what they are.
The city says this memorial will bring public enhancements to the park, including seating, gardens, and more trees. This park already has benches, trees, and gardens.
Let’s not pave another park!
Susan Ames
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/497812/Dont-pave-park
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City of Kelowna to Use AAP to borrow $241 Millon Primarily for new Parkinson Recreaction Centre
Plan to borrow $241 million
Contributed – Susan Ames Aug 8, 2023 Story: 440675 Castanet
The City of Kelowna wants to borrow $241 million towards a total of $287 million (for a new Parkinson Recreation Centre and other recreation facilities in the city) . Taxpayers must legally be consulted for long-term municipal borrowing. This can be done by referendum—where the public votes for it—or by the Alternative Approval Process (AAP), which is a “negative” vote.
The city has chosen the AAP and requires 12,160 residents to vote against it by ballot by Sept. 15, – a near impossible task considering it is August, this is vacation time and it is hot out there if one wanted to take ballots around. Here are some points you may not know.
1.Did you know:
• The Parkinson Recreation Centre (PRC) is allocated 84%, or $242 minion, of the $287 million?
• The Rutland Sports fields is allocated only 1.5%, or $4.5 million?
• Glenmore and Mission construction of their activity centres together are allocated only 12%, or $36 million?
• UBCO is allocated 2%, or $5 million?
This isn’t on the ballot. Coun. Ron Cannan said packaging $40 million for the other facilities along with the $242 million price tag for the PRC is “coy”. I agree.
2. Do you know that in February 2022, Kelowna city staff indicated a “slight preference” for building the new PRC north of the creek? Also, do you know this “slight preference” will cost an additional $62 million for road work, access and infrastructure (widening roads, traffic lights, etc.)?
What could the city do with $62 million if it located the new PRC back to the south end where no green space would be lost?
3. How may people think the proposed “opulent” option is the only one. Is it this or nothing?
The plan is to construct a large PRC for $180 million. The City of Toronto is about to open its biggest community centre, which is coming in at $90 million, including a library. That community centre part is larger than the proposed PRC.
We could have two new large community centres for the price of what is proposed for the PRC. There are options.
4. Did you know the interest on this borrowed $241 million is $220M (5% over 30 years)?
This would put the total amount at $460 million, to be repaid and push the project at over a $500 million, primarily for the PRC.
If the PRC was located back to the south end (saving $62 million) and came in at $90 million, and the other components at $40 million (were included), the total cost would be $130 million. Subtract the $46 million not being borrowed for a total amount to be borrowed at $84 million instead of $241million—almost one-third of the amount to be borrowed. Therefore, almost one-third of the interest, too.
To vote against this expensive and impractical proposal, fill out your AAP ballot and get it into Kelowna city hall by Sept. 15.
You can find the ballots at the city’s website or pick one up (or more for your friends, neighbours, etc.) at the PRC or Kelowna City Hall.
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Referendum not AAP
Contributed – Jun 19, 2023 Story: 432680
Open letter to Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas and city councillors
On June 19, you are going to decide on a loan authorization for $241.32 million towards the (cost of a new) Parkinson Recreation Centre and other community centres.
Please do not do this. Your plan is to seek public approval through an alternative approval process (10% or 14,000 signatures on a petition to counter this).
As we all know, this will be an impossible task and so you are essentially precluding public input, although it is a requirement.
This should go to referendum. It seems you are giving short shrift to the (residents) who voted in a new mayor and some new councillors as the public expressed it did not want the heavy-handed approach of ignoring the public.
We deserve a referendum for this much money. Maybe you could use the AAP for a smaller amount but this is an incredible amount of money that the public will have to carry the load on.
As a reminder:
• December 2015—A study on the PRC (equivalent size to the proposed one) was estimated at $50 million (along Highway 97)
January 2022—The estimate was $134 million. Located along Highway 97 (almost three times the cost in seven years)
• March 2022—Relocation to the northern portion of the park at (a cost of) $134 milllion
• June 2023—New cost estimate is $242 million ($180 million plus $62 million because of the relocation to the northern portion of the park).
In one year, the building cost increased by $45 million. Why?
This is taxpayers’ money and the taxpayers have a right to decide on this. It is a legal requirement when borrowing this much money. We need to have a referendum on this. (Thank you Coun. Ron Cannan for voting against the AAP).
If you decide to proceed without a referendum for this incredible amount of money, then it is incumbent on the mayor to hold a news conference to explain to the public the following:
• What is the justification for this extreme cost and extreme increase in cost.
• Why won’t the city build near Highway 97. Kids in school can walk five minutes through the park to get to the new PRC at Highway 97) and save the $62 million.
• Why is the city using the AAP instead of a referendum?
Susan Ames, Kelowna
Interviews:
Global TV interview on October 14, 2023 following referendum results:
https://globalnews.ca/video/10025693/global-okanagan-news-at-530-october-14-2023/
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Kelowna posted Aug 15, 2023 @ 01:00pm by Kent Molgat
VIDEO: Community effort aims to reject ambitious recreation plans
Susan Ames has been a community activist, a council candidate and sometimes a thorn in the side of council on development plans.
Now she’s spearheading an effort to gather enough signatures to reject the city’s plans to borrow for a “re-imagined” Parkinson Recreation Centre.
Planners are describing the new centre as a “jewel”, a “dramatically designed”, “landmark wellness facility”.
But Ames believes that $241 million in borrowed money makes it a jewel we can’t afford. “I think it’s way too much money,” she said.
The plan to borrow money for the project requires either a referendum or the use of the ‘alternate approval process’. In this case, council has approved the latter. It means the only way it can be rejected by the public is if 10 percent of the population registers its disapproval.
Ames admits that will be nearly impossible.
“We have to get 12,160 votes in about four weeks, in the middle of summer to say that we don’t want this,” she explained.
She argues that the process cuts the public out of the discussion.
“The alternate approval process is like a loophole. We should have a referendum.”
Ames is organizing a group she calls ‘Concerned Kelowna Residents for Financial Accountability’.
The group will station themselves outside the City’s public information sessions this week to gather signatures.
“There’s nothing wrong with building a new one if it needs to be built, it’s the opulent part of it,” said Ames.
“There doesn’t seem to be a budget, it’s sort of like, ‘build what you want’ instead of saying we’ve got 80 million or 100 million, what can we buy for that?”
She said that in Toronto, a new recreation centre is being built for a relatively inexpensive $90 million.
“The recreational part of the Toronto centre is larger than the one proposed for Parkinson Rec.”
Along with the new recreation centre to replace Parkinson, the borrowed money would pay for activity centres in Glenmore and the Mission, and the redevelopment of the sports fields in Rutland.
The city plans public information sessions for this afternoon (Tuesday) Aug. 15 at the Rutland Activity Centre from 3:30 to 6:30 pm, at the Capital News Centre on Thursday, Aug. 17 from 2:00 till 5:00 pm, and at Parkinson Rec Centre on Wednesday, Sept. 6 from 3:00 till 6:00 pm.
Those opposed to the borrowing plan have to fill out an electoral response form and get it to city hall by 4 pm Sept. 15.
https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Kelowna/VIDEO_Community_effort_aims_to_reject_ambitious_recreation_plans/
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Building height concerns – July 11, 2023 Castanet
Contributed – Jul 11, 2023 / 10:37 am | Story: 436309 Castanet
This is in regard to the four towers proposed at 1070-1130 Ellis Street. The public hearing is (scheduled for) Tuesday, July 11 at 5:45 pm.
There are several issues related to this project.
The project has two high towers, each exceeding 26 storeys on a 16-metre high (52 feet) concrete podium, and two on an adjacent 16-metre high concrete podium. The towers are located at the outer edges of the podiums so the area between the towers is significant and still at the podium height of 16 metres above street level.
If each tower had its own podium, the space between the towers could be used by the public instead of being private spaces. These inter-tower spaces could be a park area with trees and vegetation to counter the heat dome effect, (as well as) walkways with benches, playgrounds, etc.
With this (proposed) plan, these inter-tower spaces shut out the public being perched way above street level. This extensive use of concrete between the towers further exacerbates climate change as the cement industry is considered the world’s third largest CO2 emitter.
In addition, any exposed concrete absorbs heat in the day and emits the heat all night long. So, with more and more concrete use, the city is increasing the heat dome effect. This will decrease the livability of Kelowna.
This proposed project includes 26 storeys of additional residential use spread across the four towers (the equivalent of an additional tower). If the developer kept with the 26 storeys, there would be less need for parking stalls and therefore, lower podiums.
Further, this proposed project will result in about 1,700 (1141 units with 1.5 cars per unit) more cars on our streets and concentrated in the downtown area, which will increase traffic congestion and, of course, add CO2 emissions. The city can’t handle this traffic congestion.
Eventually, it will be too difficult to drive and too expensive to park extra cars downtown, so people will eventually give up their cars as they have in the West End of Vancouver. Instead of requiring these podiums, the developer should skip them, have one or two storeys of parking underground where the developer or strata could support co-op cars or some other form of shared car system so those living in tthe buildings will use them when they can’t walk or take transit (which will hopefully improve soon), and rent cars when needed.
The key is, when the population downtown increases and cars will not be needed, the podiums will become redundant. If the developer doesn’t have to have the 16 m high podiums, it will be better for the environment as less concrete will be required, less CO2 emissions will be generated, the street would be more approachable, there will be more opportunity to have more parks and green space around the buildings, and it will be less expensive for the developer so a win win all around.
The West End of Vancouver is known for its little parks, lots of green space and trees, walkways, pedestrians and a low traffic area.
The report from the (Kelowna) city manager (Report to Council Development Permit and Development Variance Permit, July 11, 2023) states on page 2, section 3.0, Development Planning states “the requested variances are determined to have minimal impact on adjacent properties…”.
That totally ignores the fact Tower 3 butts right up to the property line. It couldn’t be any closer to the four-storey adjacent condo building (Osprey 2). This Tower 3 is planned for more than 30 storeys, so it will represent a wall to the Osprey 2 building. It is similar to holding an apple in your hand – when your arm is extended, the apple looks smaller. When you hold it to your face, the apple is large and blocks out everything but the apple. That is what is happening here.
The developer needs to move this building further away from Osprey 2 to reduce the severe impact of having a tower right in front of its living space and the height should be lower. What the developer could do is build a low building in place of Tower 3 that could provide parking instead of the podiums and when the parkade is no longer needed—because of the reduced use of cars—it could be converted into something else.
This parkade could be masked with vegetation with an interesting exterior, which would reduce the impact on the residents of Osprey 2. Instead of building these five-storey massive podiums, the podiums could be replaced with residential units. That would be an innovative solution and give Kelowna a bit of a feather in its cap.
The developer is applying for this greater height and the removal of some setbacks for a trival $2.4 million contribution to the city’s Housing Opportunities Reserve Fund. Those are a lot of perks for the equivalent of two, maybe 2.5, residential lots. The average house in Kelowna (now costs) about $1 million.
Finally, I found it interesting to read the city manager’s report as it came across as the kind of sales pitch a developer would use. For example, the report uses subjective rather than technical or objective language. Some examples of these subjective phrases include:
• “Pleasant street rhythm”
• “Creates an active and dynamic space”
• “A superior design”
• “Allows for a dynamic facade”
• “Generous indoor and outdoor space”
• “Grand residential lobby”
• “Strategic dramatic effect”
• “Purposeful design”
• “Achieve the architect’s vision”
The report would certainly have a different tone if these kinds of words and phrases were not used.
The city needs to step back and ask for revisions to this project to better meet the needs of the future, the public, the neighbours, and climate change and particularly drop the use of podiums. That would be better for everyone.
The public hearing is open to everyone. It’s time to speak up
Susan Ames, Kelowna
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/436309/Building-height-concerns
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VIDEO: City of Kelowna urged to guard against the ugly results of halted building projects
Kelowna posted May 20, 2023 @ 06:00am by Kent Molgat
For two years, the brick façade of a valued Kelowna heritage building has been standing in front of a halted construction project, with steel scaffolding in place to keep it upright.
Heritage buff Susan Ames, who ran for council in the last election, is getting tired of looking at what she describes as an “eyesore”. In an opinion letter published by KelownaNow, Ames made public she asked the question: ‘How can a heritage building just be gutted and left for dead?’
The City of Kelowna’s director of planning and development is calling for patience.
“Indications are the developer continues to work with an architect on what the development might look like,” said Ryan Smith.
He seems confident while liquor licensing issues may have forced a halt to what was originally planned, the developer is not walking away.
Smith believes “Something nice will go there.”
But Ames believes it’s time to get protections in place for situations like this.
“It’s kind of a pity what it looks like today,” said Ames, looking at the wall of bricks and scaffolding behind her.
“It’s been there for over two years looking like that.”
<img alt=”Photo credit: NowMedia ” src=”https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/00189_00_01_41_21_Still004.jpg”>
Photo credit: NowMedia
She wants to see developers pay to have a bond in place to ensure that things get completed or cleaned up when a project stalls.
“So there’s money to either reverse what they’ve done or finish the project,” suggests Ames.
She said it’s commonplace in the mining industry, so why not in growing cities like Kelowna?
“A bond would be an incentive to make sure they’ve got all their ducks in a row,” said Ames.
Smith isn’t buying it.
“I don’t think it’s possible,” he said.
<img alt=”Photo credit: NowMedia ” src=”https://www.kelownanow.com/files/files/images/00189_00_01_06_14_Still003.jpg”>
Photo credit: NowMedia
Smith said the city does take a performance bond on landscaping on public property and civil engineering, but he doesn’t foresee such a thing on bricks and mortar construction.
“It’s not feasible to go that far,” he said.
But he reiterates that conversations are ongoing on what will eventually be built on the property, but it will take some time.
Any new plans are expected to go before city council before work could resume.
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Your Voice: How can a heritage building just be gutted then left for dead?
Your Voice posted May 12, 2023 @ 11:15am by Contributed by Susan Ames
The “Daily Courier” building at 1580 Water St. was constructed between 1908 and 1939 (with additions and a second floor). It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and on Kelowna Heritage Register indicating it has (had) significance in terms of heritage and was worthy of protection. This was a key and important heritage building in downtown Kelowna. The new owner tore down the building in January 2021, leaving only the brick façade held up by steel scaffolding. The windows and doors were removed.
Photo Credit: Canada’s Historic Places
The plan was to build a large building behind the façade. A large crane was brought in 2021, a hole was excavated and a foundation was poured. Construction then stopped. The site has been left as an eyesore in the downtown since January 2021. The crane was finally removed in April 2023 as the original project is not going ahead because of challenges to the liquor licencing process. The façade with the steel scaffolding is all that is left of the historic building.
The Head of Planning for the City of Kelowna, Ryan Smith recently said “something will happen there.” (Plans for the downtown wine centre in Kelowna were scrapped in March). They just don’t know what. This suggests that there are no current plans for the site and the city is left with this steel scaffolding supported brick façade.
Photo Credit: Susan Ames
In the mining industry, a bond is put up before any mining activities are initiated to cover the cost of rehabilitating a site if the owner “walks” part way through the project or doesn’t complete the rehabilitation. This bond is sufficient for a government agency to dismantle the mine and rehabilitate the site properly.
The developer who tore down the building may or may not come back. What if the developer went bankrupt? Who would pay to re-build the site and put a building on it? Would this eyesore remain for years until a new investor came along and came up with a new plan? Would the brick façade last that long?
All municipalities in British Columbia should have a policy stating that a developer must post a bond so that cities aren’t left with half constructed buildings and no one to complete them.
What do others think?
Susan Ames
Kelowna, BC
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Susan Ames – Should Developers Post a Bond to Avoid Unfinished Projects? May 08, 2023
1580 Water Street, Kelowna BC
Plate 1: The “Courier” historic building in downtown Kelowna pre-demolition (Source: Canada’s Historic Places HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca).
The “Daily Courier” building at 1580 Water Street, Kelowna was constructed between 1908 and 1939 (with additions and a second floor) (HistoricPlaces.ca – HistoricPlaces.ca). It is listed on the Canadian Register of Historic Places and on Kelowna Heritage Register indicating it has (had) significance in terms of heritage and was worthy of protection. This was a key and important heritage building in downtown Kelowna. The new owner tore down the building in January 2021 leaving only the brick façade held up by steel scaffolding (Plate 2). The windows and doors were removed.
The plan was to build a large building behind the façade. A large crane was brought in 2021, a hole was excavated, and a foundation was poured. Construction then stopped. The site has been left as an eyesore in the downtown since January 2021. The crane was finally removed in April 2023 as the original project is not going ahead because of challenges to the liquor licencing process. The façade with the steel scaffolding is all that is left of the historic building (Plate 2).
The Head of Planning for the City of Kelowna, Ryan Smith recently said “Something will happen there.” (“Plans for downtown wine centre in Kelowna have been scrapped”, March 27, 2023). They just don’t know what. This suggests that there are no current plans for the site and the city is left with this steel scaffolding supported brick façade.
Plate 2. Site with brick façade held up with steel scaffolding (May 2023) (source S. Ames).
In the mining industry, a bond is put up before any mining activities are initiated to cover the cost of rehabilitating a site if the owner “walks” part way through the project or doesn’t complete the rehabilitation. This bond is sufficient for a government agency to dismantle the mine and rehabilitate the site properly.
The developer who tore down the building may or may not come back. What if the developer went bankrupt? Who would pay to re-build the site and put a building on it? Would this eyesore remain for years until a new investor came along and came up with a new plan? Would the brick façade last that long?
All municipalities in British Columbia should have a policy stating that a developer must post a bond so that cities aren’t left with half constructed buildings and no one to complete them.
What do others think?
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Susan Ames April 5, 2023 Interview with CBC Radio on BC’s Plan for Four Units on a Single Family Lot
Susan Ames considers that the proposed BC policy to have single family housing converted to four units per lot will result in a lot of good homes being demolished, it will drive up the price of real estate, and will result in the loss of vegetation which is critical to countering climate change. Please listen to Susan’s interview with Chris Walker and David Jenkins, Okanagan Missions Rresidents Association. Go to:
1:17:50 mark
Susan Ames (President of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods)
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City needs to rethink Parkinson Recreation Centre Plan – letter on Castanet November 28 2022
The city needs to go back to the 2015 options anlysis report.
Rethink rec centre plan
Contributed – Nov 28, 2022 / 11:57 am | Story: 398683
(Kelowna’s) new Parkinson Recreation Centre plan, being considered by city council, is way over the top. The latest estimate is to borrow $155 million of the $167 million (total).
The plan discussed in January was to have the new building in the vicinity of the existing facility, with access off Harvey Avenue. The most recent plan is to construct the new facility and parking lots on the green space/playing fields north of Mill Creek. There will also be additional costs of constructing new access.
What will the environmental impact be of placing this facility on green space? How will the public be affected by losing playing fields? What will happen with the current site following demolition?
Council should go back and review the 2015 options analysis. Four options in 2015 were investigated and Options 2 and 4 will do the trick. Option 2 includes a renovation of a portion of the (existing) PRC, plus new building and Option 4 is a new building in the same area as the current facility.
These will be the same size as the proposed new facility (triple the size of the current one), provide for the community’s needs for years to come (as required) and generate substantial revenue. Further benefits will include allowing the existing facility to remain open during construction, located along Harvey Avenue (Highway 97) so the northern fields won’t be lost and new access roads will not be required and less expensive.
These options were costed out at (around) $50 million in 2015 dollars.
Even if the cost rose by 50% to $75 million in todays dollars, the cost would still be lower by about $90 million compared to the proposed opulent plan.
What could the city do with the extra $90 million ? What about the impact on residents’ taxes? The $90 million difference could be used to construct another community centre or not borrowed at all.
Council needs to take another look at the 2015 study, as those options will still get us what we want but at a much lower cost.
But will it (take another look)? Let’s hope.
https://www.castanet.net/news/Letters/398683/Rethink-rec-centre-plan
https://www.pentictonherald.ca/opinion/article_17a212aa-7282-11ed-b46d-1f64a46eb418.html
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1333 Bertram Street, Kelowna –Letter on KelownaNow November 15 2022.
Susan’s letter re: 19 storey tower at 1333 Bertram Street. This area is characterized by a mixture of single family homes and low rise (5 storeys or less) apartment buildings) which the Mission Groups’ application letter describes as a leafy, quiet street. How ironic they removed every bit of tree cover and vegetation off the three lots and are constructing a huge building that will change the street from quiet to busy. The maximum for the area is 12 storeys which is too high – what does maximum mean? Here is the link to my letter on KelownaNow.
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KelownaNow Letter October 26 2022 by David Buckna – Refers to Susan Ames
Mr. Buckna has a few words about me in his letter about the results of the election” “There will only be two women among the eight councillors when Kelowna’s new city council is sworn in at their Inaugural Meeting (Nov. 7). The Liveable Kelowna group — made up of nine men and two women — ignored the candidate who is probably the most qualified person to be on council: Susan Ames, who has a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies with a specialty in climate change, MSc in soil science, and BSc in biology. Ames has over 30 years experience as an environmental consultant in both agriculture and in the mining industry. She wants to see the return of the Citizens’ Patrol program, and police having a regular beat in order to build relationships with residents in the various communities and business centres.” The link to his letter is:
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VIDEO: One of Kelowna City Council’s harshest critics seeks a spot at the table
Kelowna posted Aug 16, 2022 @ 05:00pm by Kent Molgat
“They used to call me ‘that Susan person’,” said Susan Ames. “That’s me.”
She’s okay with her role as a ‘thorn in the side’ of the existing council.
And now she wants to be a part of it.
“I’ve spent a lot of time at council the last four years,” she told KelownaNow, “with different issues.”
As president of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods, she’s become a regular feature when building projects get contentious.
“Hopefully if we get a whole new council that’s full of energy and new ideas,” Ames said. “We can all work together as a team and get some things done.”
She’s interested in seeing Kelowna develop in ways that are both socially and environmentally sustainable.
“I have a strong background in environmental science and sustainability,” she added.
With the cost of housing at crisis levels, there is pressure for the city to approve projects simply to increase the supply side of the equation, but Ames said it has to be tempered.
“You may be building buildings for buidings’ sake, but you’re not building the right kind of housing,” she said.
“Families don’t want to be put up on the 34th floor.”
Ames believes there are ways to build more housing that might not have stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, but is suitable and affordable.
“Think about the families, and people and children,” she said. “Where are they going to play?”
Ames has a vision for a greener, gentler, happier city.
“We need to have the vision to make this work for everybody,” she said.
Susan Ames slogan is Ames for Change.
Election day is Oct. 15.
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Stop the UBCO Tower! Public Hearing July 26, 2022 6 pm Kelowna City Hall Press release
UBCO has recently increased the height of their proposed downtown Kelowna tower to 46 storeys (160 m) from their original plan for 35 storeys – a difference of 11 storeys or an increase of 31% in height. Ryan Smith, top city planner, describes this as “a little flexibility in the final overall height” (Daily Courier June 14, 2022: UBCO stretches out ‘vertical’ campus plan).
The increase to 46 storeys is to obtain additional residential units. The staff report stated that this type of density would not normally be supported for private development. This project is being presented as a UBCO downtown campus even though less than 20% will be for academic use and the remaining 80% will be for commercial and residential housing.
Kelowna’s 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP) signed off by council in January 2022 set the maximum to 26 storeys for the city (C7 Map A), so this proposed height of 46 storeys is 20 storeys (approximately 200 ft) higher than permitted.
To achieve the increase in height, a Public Hearing will be held at 6 pm July 26th, 2022, to change the zoning to CD28 from C7. Commercial schools such as UBCO are a “Principal Use” in C7 zoning so this change in zoning is not required and the 10 storeys of academic use can easily fit into the 26 storeys permitted for this area with room to spare.
There are so many issues with this project that aren’t presented …where will the excess water be pumped to, to construct 4 levels of parking below the lake level? Is it feasible? Where will four levels of excavated material be dumped? What will be the impact of a 46-storey tower on our sewage treatment facility? What is the impact on shading of the area? What will happen to the vacant units between May and September? What is UBCO’s plans for these? What is the impact of paving the footprint except for a sliver of green space on St. Paul and Doyle in terms of surface runoff, lack of green space, the heat island effect? And on it goes.
The city has approved in the last several years, tower after tower in downtown Kelowna that required a height variance. However, this modern 46 storey tower which will be 80% non-academic may be approved because it is UBCO. This is just another predominantly residential building which will loom over the city in all directions. This height is so extreme that it is time to say stop. The towers are getting higher and higher, and this modern, extremely high tower is nothing short of a monstrosity. The downtown belongs to all communities from Glenmore to Rutland, to central Kelowna to the Kettle Valley area. This is not the time to turn a blind eye and to be complacent. Action is required by all residents, or this will be approved and more of this will follow. Attendance at the Public Hearing is critical and letters to the mayor and council are extremely important. More information will be available Thursday, July 21 at 7 pm across from City Hall. Stop this UBCO Tower! The sky is not the limit… Susan Ames July 20, 2022
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Stop This Tower! Campaign launched against UBCO’s downtown Kelowna highrise
Susan Ames is trying to get the UBCO downtown campus reduced in height.
Image Credit: Submitted/Susan Ames
Calling it a “pretend university,” Kelowna resident Susan Ames is launching a campaign against the proposed 46-storey UBC Okanagan downtown “vertical campus.”
Ames is president of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods but is not speaking on behalf of that group. She is, however, planning to run for city council this fall.
“I’m trying to get people aware of what’s going on down there and, hopefully, they’ll speak up and write some letters,” Ames told iNFonews.ca. “What happens is city council says: ‘Nobody is interested. We didn’t get anything so we’ll just go ahead.’ But this is such a serious one. It’s really a monstrosity. It’s really excessively high and it doesn’t fit into Kelowna at all.”
The original proposal was for a 34-storey tower.
The Mission Group has proposed a 17-storey office tower and 30-storey residential tower next to it on land that was formerly the Kelowna Daily Courier property.
READ MORE: UBCO’s downtown Kelowna campus to be the tallest in city at 46 storeys
The proposed UBCO tower.
Image Credit: Submitted/City of Kelowna
The city recently adopted a plan that calls for a maximum height of 26 storeys. Ames thinks it should stick to that plan.
UBCO is asking the city to adopt a special zone for what it calls a vertical campus that will allow the increased height. That goes to council today, July 26.
Ten storeys are planned to be part of the university but most of the rest will be residential, some of which will be for students.
“They say they’re allowing 46 storeys because it’s UBCO,” Ames said. “Well, it’s a UBCO apartment building. Call it what it is.”
In fact, the report that’s going to a public hearing next week, does say just that.
“This type of height and density would not normally be supported for private development,” city planner Trisa Atwood wrote in her report to council. “As such, the creation of a CD zone was deemed most appropriate to creatively and collaboratively meet the unique project objectives.”
Ames will be across from City Hall today, July 21, at 7 p.m. trying to rally support.
Already the city has approved a number of buildings that exceed its maximum height guidelines, including the newly-finished One Water Street at 35 storeys and a 42-storey tower now under construction for the Water Street by the Park development on Leon Avenue.
At some point, Ames argued, city council has to start following its own plans and limit how high these downtown towers are built.
She’s also opposed to the nearby tower proposed for the old RCMP site just a couple of blocks away, also on Doyle Avenue.
Proposed 25-storey tower on the former RCMP site downtown.
Image Credit: Submitted/City of Kelowna
That’s going to council on Tuesday for a development permit, the final stage before a building permit allows for construction to start.
It was proposed for 13 storeys but was redesigned at 25 storeys after neighbours complained it was too wide and would block views
READ MORE: Redesign of tower on former Kelowna RCMP site grows to 25 storeys
“It really is a community amenity,” Ames said of that site. “It’s better, really, to start in putting community centres and things for the people.”
That project includes a 6,000 square foot public space, will extend the city’s downtown art walk and build a civic plaza.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2022
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PUSHING BACK AGAINST TOWER
KSAN president rails against UBCO tower, says 46 storeys is way too much
PUSHING BACK AGAINST TOWER
Wayne Moore – Jul 21, 2022 / 4:00 am | Story: 376535
Photo: UBC Properties Trust
The City of Kelowna is going down the wrong road if it endorses a proposal from UBC Okanagan to build a vertical downtown campus that could reach up to 46 storeys.
That plan will be on the table when city council sits down for a public hearing on Tuesday night.
“This one is just too much for me,” says Susan Ames, who also serves as president of the Kelowna South-Central Association of Neighbourhoods (KSAN).
“Our neighbourhood is south of Harvey so it’s not a (KSAN) issue, but this has got to stop. It’s 46 storeys and the maximum height is supposed to be 26 in Kelowna that’s stated in the brand new 2040 Official Community Plan council just signed in January.”
She questions the sense of an OCP and height regulations when the goalposts keep moving.
Ames says she will be in attendance at Tuesday’s public hearing and hopes others will join her. She will be set up Thursday night at 7 p.m. at Stuart Park across from city hall to try and drum up support.
Ames questions the need for such a tall building, suggesting only 11 storeys are university related with the other 35 dedicated strictly to housing.
“It’s not all student housing,” she claims.
“They are going to have 500 units. If they don’t have 500 students to fill it, what do you think they are going to do? They are going to rent it out.
“And, what’s going to happen when the students are all gone in the summer? It’s going to be short term rentals.”
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VIDEO: Neighbourhood association says UBCO’s 46 storeys is way too high
Kelowna posted Jul 21, 2022 @ 02:30pm by Kent Molgat
“It’s basically a monstrosity,” said Susan Ames.
“It’s way too high for the city.”
Ames is the president of the Kelowna South Central Association of Neighbourhoods, and she’s out to stop UBCO’s plans for a 46-storey vertical campus in Kelowna’s downtown.
“It will loom over everything and it doesn’t fit into the city of Kelowna.”
Ames wonders about the value of the official community plan process when it can be so quickly abandoned.
Photo Credit: NowMedia
“It’s 20 storeys higher than the maximum height allowed in Kelowna with the 2040 Official Community Plan that was just signed in January.”
She said it sends a confusing message to builders.
“How can a developer plan if they change the goal posts all the time,” added Ames.
Photo Credit: NowMedia Susan Ames, KSAN
Her remarks come a day after KelownaNow spoke with Terry Barton from the city’s planning department.
Barton and his staff are recommending council go ahead with the rezoning required to accommodate the 46-storey skyscraper.
“We see this as the next wave of the revitalization of the downtown,” he said.
And Barton acknowledged the fact that the applicant is an institution of higher learning plays a role in that.
“We think it sends a very strong message that our tallest building in the city would be an academic UBC building,” said Barton.
But Ames points out that most of the building would be for housing, not learning.
“It’s 46 storeys of building and only ten storeys are actual academic.”
Ames said there’s plenty of room for student housing at the main campus.
“What I think they should do is stick to the zoning of 26 storeys and take that money and build more housing at UBCO where all the campus is,” she said.
Ames is urging people to come out to the public hearing on the rezoning which is Tuesday night.
“I think it’s time for the people of Rutland, Kettle Valley, Central Kelowna, Glenmore to speak up,” she said, “and say this is your city and it’s time to put the brakes on this excessive development.”
The Kelowna South Central Neighbourhood Association will be gathering tonight at 7 pm to oppose the plan, along with the 26-storey development planned for the former RCMP building.
Photo credit: City of Kelowna
Both rezoning applications go to public hearing on Tuesday, July 26.
Ames says the building is ultimately too tall, too modern and too glassy, adding it looks like something that better belongs somewhere like Shanghai, and not Kelowna.
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VIDEO: Neighbourhood association says new official community plan threatens heritage
Heritage protectionists claim the City of Kelowna is poised to make a big mistake.
The Kelowna South Central Association of Neighborhoods believes the Official Community Plan, which goes to a public hearing tonight, poses a threat to designated heritage areas.
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“It opens it up to development for apartment buildings, rowhouses, commercial through the heritage conservation area,” said KSAN spokesperson Susan Ames.
At issue is an area of the city that is described as ‘core area neighbourhood’ where multi-family housing is encouraged.
The map of that area in the OCP includes the Abbott Street and Marshall Street Heritage Conservation Areas.
“We’ll start to lose houses,” said Ames. “And we’ll start to have apartment buildings in the middle of a heritage conservation area.”
Photo Credit: KelownaNow Susan Ames, KSAN
Ames and her group have planted signs along Abbott St in an effort to boost public interest in the issue.
The project planner behind Kelowna’s new OCP told KelownaNow the concerns are unfounded.
“Those statements are untrue,” said Robert Miles. “The Official Community Plan continues to honour the heritage conservation area. It contains the same guidelines as the current OCP.”
Photo Credit: KelownaNow Robert Miles, City of Kelowna Project Planner
Miles admits the ‘core area neighbourhood’ area can include fourplexes, townhomes and in some cases apartment buildings, but that policy guidance is always there to protect heritage areas.
“We have a specific policy that says ‘we do not support apartment housing in that area or stacked housing in that area’,” he said.
Miles said staff would support single-family homes, perhaps some duplexes and smaller, less dense forms of infill.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow
But Ames remains uneasy with the heritage conservation areas considered part of that core area and all that comes with it.
“Once a home is gone it’s gone. We don’t want to have our heritage houses in a museum,” she said.
Photo Credit: KelownaNow
The public hearing is scheduled for 6 pm this evening at City Hall.
Susan Ames Sustainability Group 
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