Virtues of a new city hall

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet

Rob Moyor, managing partner of Strategic Development Group

West Kelowna is getting a good deal.

That from Rob Moyor, managing partner of the company hired to build a new civic centre, during an election-style rally hosted by the 'Yes to the Civic Centre Committee," Thursday afternoon.

The rally was held on the proposed site of the civic centre on Elliott Road.

Moyor, with Strategic Development Group, said the city is building at the right time.

"They are building at a time when we were able to negotiate, what we hoped, were lower prices," said Moyor

"The price they negotiated was a very good price on a per square foot basis. The risk is on us to make sure that happens."

Moyor said the city is also getting value for a piece of land it owns on the site. That piece of land, he said, will become part of an extension of Gosset Road.

"It's going to become a piece of land that is an orphan, so half of that parcel will be road. The remaining piece is not that big to be able to put anything on it.

"By combining their pieces with ours, they are getting good value for what they have already invested in."

Thursday's event, attended by about 50 'yes' supporters, is the beginning of a campaign which includes a large social-media profile, election buttons and road signs and a campaign office.

West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater and IH spokesman Bryan Redford also spoke.

In talking about the benefits of a new city hall as part of the civic centre, Findlater admitted the city may be over-building for current needs, but added the top floor will be rented out, allowing the city to realize revenue to help pay off the building.

He said the new RCMP building also has extra space, which he said is paying about 55 per cent of the city's mortgage on the facility.

Redford said Interior Health, which would move into a separate building as part of the complex, said the health authority has simply outgrown its current facility on Carrington Road.

He said that facility was built for a smaller community, and West Kelowna is growing rapidly and needs something bigger.

"We see 23,000 clients a year," said Redford.

"We are facing constraints daily. We need to grow."

The new facility would be 34 per cent larger, said Redford.

"We could design the space to meet our needs."

This is the first of many events planned by the 'Yes to the Civic Centre Committee," between now and referendum day.

Committee co-chair Gord Milsom said they are just asking for three things from the public.

Vote, vote yes, and get the facts.

He said it is their committee's goal to lay out the facts for residents.

As for Findlater, he just hopes the campaign running up to the referendum is clean.

"I don't go for name calling one bit. We are one community and we have to come together as one community," said Findlater.

"Lets not create deep cleavages, but let's have a healthy debate in our community."

The community will vote Sept. 17 on whether to endorse the city's request to borrow up to $7.7 million for the project.