Photo: Contributed

Uptown Rutland Business Association has unveiled its trimmed down board of directors that will work with new president Justin Bullock.

This year’s board has five directors, which is down from last year’s seven. There are four returnees, including Jassie Kakoschke of Valley First, Brad McNaughton of LUX Quality Homes, Domenic Rampone of Kelowna Gospel Mission and Harjit Toora or Manohar Vegetarian Bakery.

Indy Dhial of Pita Pit spent last year as an ex-officio board member but is now a director.

“A top priority is researching and shaping a vision for a true public space in Rutland,” Bullock said in a press release. “We want to create the same kind of excitement that downtown Kelowna offers. Our goal is to create a vibrant urban space where people can live, work and enjoy entertainment, while also drawing visitors from across the city and beyond.

“The board is inspired by the success of the ‘Meet Me On Bernard’ program. We see the potential for something similar in Rutland—perhaps a ‘Meet Me at Roxby,’ where a short walk leads you to any of the 24 murals in the area. We are considering various possibilities and encourage the community to share their input.”

Bullock said he and the board will spend the year evaluating events to see which ones will bring the best return on investment for members. The board also plans to update its governance and operational procedures.

This year’s ex-officio directors are Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas and Birte Decloux of Urban Options Planning Corp.