Police watchdog called in
Mayor calls 'BS' on list
U.S. authorities find bodies
Premier stands by pick
Canada's most-wanted list
Sask. will still get rebates
Santos ends comeback bid
Douglas C-54 plane crashes
Trump's 'eyes and ears'
US TikTok ban sent to Biden
Phish fans enter the Sphere
CN Rail profits fall 
Warriors snakebitten in loss
Iginla off to Europe
Rockets ink prospect
Alleged Tupac killer in court
Lawsuit accuses Megan
Bam Margera’s tour axed
There has been a lot of vocal opposition to a development proposed for the corner of Abbott and Strathcona.
The neighbourhood community that is vehemently opposed to it, is gathering together tonight to make their opinions heard at the Public Hearing at City Hall.
Concerned citizen Jacquie Jones is heading the group opposing the proposal. She says the proposed office tower will be at the busiest juncture on Abbott Street which includes:
- Kelowna General Hospital
- Strathcona Park
- Cancer Centre
- KGH Rehab Centre
- KGH parkade
- Abbott Street recreational corridor
She tells Castanet that she was shocked when she saw the development sign on the property.
“I saw the original development sign, and I mean this is probably an area about as busy as you can get around the back of the hospital, and I thought man this is a four story building with a restaurant, medical office, residences...this is way too much density in a residential area on a recreational corridor,” explains Jones. She says she quickly delivered information sheets to her neighbours and it snowballed into the movement it is today.
She says the large group working against the development includes cycling clubs, hospital users, running clubs and kids' camps.
“Our first concern is safety, the second concern is heritage conservation as this big box doesn't look anything like the rest of our neighbourhood and the third is zoning as we are wondering why we are putting commercial in a residential neighbourhood,” says Jones who claims the list of concerns grew and grew as more residents joined.
The group plans to head to the public hearing tonight (Tuesday) to let their opposition be known.
“This is a large contingent of concerned citizens who are collectively gathering tonight (Tuesday) to make our voice heard at council,” says Jones who notes many who can't attend tonight have already written to council.
In fact, she says, when the re-zoning proposal went to first reading several weeks ago, council received over 70 letters opposing the development and only seven in favour of the rezoning.
Jones expects over 100 people, clad mostly in red, to meet at the Bean Scene tonight (Tuesday) on Bernard at 5:30 and walk over to the Public Hearing together for 6 p.m.
Jones has been told mayor and council hopefuls will be at the public hearing.
