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West Kelowna is getting a new City Hall, but not all residents are happy about where it’s being built.
Their City Hall is currently in a temporary location in a community hall, formerly used as a recreation centre.
Recently, the city announced the new building will be built in what West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater is calling “the commercial centre of West Kelowna,” at 3641 Elliott Road.
“It may have seen better days and it needs revitalization,” said Findlater. “The downtown area is our central business district.
“It is home to all of the other administrative bodies, so to speak, that exist in the West Kelowna. We chose this area to focus on.”
The spot they chose won’t just house City Hall, he explained, as three other buildings will be built in the area—two residential and one commercial. At this point, Interior Health has already agreed to move in.
While Findlater said the area needs improvement, he insists that there is a lot surrounding the new lot. Right behind the new location, he said, is the West Bank Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library.
Also in the area is a shopping centre, MP Dan Albas’ office, MLA Christy Clark’s office, the Greater Westside Board of Trade, the local RCMP detachment and West Kelowna Tourism. The transit station also isn’t far, he said.
Henray Paynter, a resident of West Kelowna, attended open houses when consultants were bringing up ideas of where the new City Hall would be located, but isn’t happy with the choice made in the end as he was hoping for more central location.
“Talking to people around me, we were all excited to see some things get refurbished,” he said.
Paynter explained that in downtown West Kelowna, many buildings are boarded up or vacant, and he was hoping they would redo one and bring life back to the area.
“Instead, they’re just expanding the sprawl away from downtown, being on the edge of downtown,” said Paynter.
The new location is directly across from an Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), but Findlater said that they have many developments that coexist with agriculture.
“To me, a city hall belongs downtown in the core, and why put it on ALR?” said Paynter.
Findlater said there are many reasons for the choice.
“I know there are some who feel a so-called geographic centre is what they’d like to see, this is our business centre though,” said Findlater. “City halls need not be in a central location…Kelowna, Vernon, Peachland…city halls are all in the historical downtown areas.
“That’s the place to be. At another site we’d be kind of the odd one out.”
Paynter, and many of his friends, filled out the City’s online survey, went to open houses and shared their opinions.
He said he believes the location was the least popular spot among residents.
Findlater said the site was one of multiple picked by consultants and council took the information to select the best site, based on both location and finances.
“It wasn’t decided at City Council, it was just decided by the staff behind closed doors,” said Paynter. “There should’ve been more of an open discussion with people welcome to give their input.
“They just chose without consulting people, I find.”
Paynter said he was born in West Kelowna, grew up mostly in Quebec, but returned about five years ago. Since then, he’s noticed that people need to commute across the bridge to go out, or do anything.
“It would be nice to have stuff to do on this side, and I think lots of people would agree with me,” he said. “If you want to see music or anything, you have to drive across the bridge.”
Residents of West Kelowna can now vote on an Alternate Approval Process, if they are against borrowing about $10.5 million for the construction of the building. If 10 per cent of the voting population votes against it, that would trigger a referendum.
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