Kelowna

Kelowna City Council has endorsed the latest step in an aggressive re-development proposal for a four block area of the downtown core.

Council received a comprehensive report on what the four block area, between Queensway and Harvey and Water and Abbott, could look like.

The proposal calls for, in part, the creation of a comprehensive development zone (CD Zone), to replace the current C7 development zone.

"I think council is excited about the possibility of re-developing an area which has been quite derelict for a long time," says Councillor, Robert Hobson.

"They recognized that unless we do it in a comprehensive development manner we are not going to be able to affect change in the area. As a tool, I think the CD Zone is very important."

Hobson says Council is excited about providing more amenities in the area, as well as public open spaces and more visual corridors.

"And I think council was impressed too that when you look at what the current C7 Zone provides today, it provides a very blocky 14 to 16 storey development, which doesn't preserve any views. We're not going from zero to the plan, we're going from an existing C7 Zone which allows 14 storey buildings to a plan which allows view corridors, open space and quite a different physical effect which I think provides a lot of benefits."

Council has agreed to move ahead with preparation of the CD Zone and to have that brought back in front of council before proceeding to another open house.

"There were a number of questions raised by Council around details of the plan and the relationship of this planning area to other parts of downtown."

Mayor Sharon Shepherd, says her main concern with the current plan is the proposal for high-rise buildings along Abbott Street, fronting City Park and the "Jewel of the City," the waterfront.

"My first impression of what I was shown today is those similar concerns. I'm not opposed to height, I'm just not sure the number of storey's proposed in this four block radius, especially along Abbott, is going to be the actual way I'm going to support it," says Shepherd.

"Some Councillors didn't seem to have an issue with it and some talked about it being stepped back. I think we'll have a lot more dialogue when it comes back again."

Community Development and Real Estate Manager, Doug Gilchrest, says the re-development plan could become a 75-year or more legacy for the City.

"The area has gone through a long period of non-development, where over a period of about the last 25 years where we've seen unprecedented growth throughout almost every other area of our community except for the downtown," says Gilchrest.

"As we've seen the intrusion of transient criminals, prominent and long term businesses re-locating there's been a loss of a sense of pride in our downtown as a result. We've now landed on a plan that we believe can achieve the needs and wants of our community and establish a vibrant hub of activity that once was synonymous with this area of our downtown."

Gilchrest says while the presentation will not satisfy the interest of everybody in the community, he does believe it combines the best balance of community interest, urban design and economic viability.

Architect, Graham McGarva, who has been working on the proposal since day one, told Council a number of options for the four block area had been drawn up over the past several months before the current proposal, Option 12, was ready for presentation.

McGarva says the re-development proposal used 12 underlying principles, including:

• Creating a walkable urban pattern
  
• Creating an enhanced Harvey Avenue as a greenbank boulevard
  
• Creating Mill Street connector between Bernard and Lawrence to re-direct through traffic away from the waterfront
  
• Encourage the Pandosy/Harvey intersection as an urban bridge
  
• Create a flex-zone at Abbott and Bernard to support year-round urban activity
  
• Optimize sunshine period of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in urban core
  
• Respond to diagonal pull of pedestrian and vehicle patterns
  
• Create a series of link, memorable urban places
  
• Integrate public realm with a progression of focal points
  
• Height contrast of park and city interface with strong urban landscape
  
• Knit City Park with the downtown
  
• Reinforce heritage continuum of city as a spring for the future.

McGarva says the re-development should also include a public pier, which would be located next to the Sails.

"There should be a new dock and pier, a memory that this whole town started because down at this point someone came along and said I think this is a good place to make a ferry across to the other side," says McGarva.

Council did have some concerns about desired density as it relates to the desired density through the remainder of the downtown area.

Hobson says those are questions that do need to be addressed.

"You might be able to spread some of that density over the rest of downtown and have the rest of downtown pay for the amenities rather than requiring one four block area to pay for a whole bunch of amenities that benefit the whole community."

He reminds people the plan is still a work in progress that still has several hurdles to clear.

"It may be a number of years before the plan is fully realized, but unless we have the certainty of the CD Zoning, we're not going to get the investment in the re-development of the area that it really requires to be revitalized."