Photo: YLW

Ground has broken on a new truck sales and service facility on the grounds of Kelowna International Airport.

City, airport and Velocity Truck Centres officials were on hand for the ceremony Friday morning, marking the unofficial construction start of the 41,000 square-foot facility that will have 19 service bays, including a hydrogen efficient repair space.

“We are thrilled to break ground on our new state-of-the-art facility, which represents a significant milestone in our journey to redefine the truck sales and service experience,” Velocity president Rod Graham said in a press release. “This project underscores our unwavering commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction and community engagement. We look forward to welcoming customers to our new facility in the spring of 2025.”

Velocity said the facility will feature innovation in compressed natural gas and other green technology, all in an attempt to elevate the standards of the industry.

“Velocity Truck Centres is an exciting addition to the YLW campus as a company that can support future technology innovation and help their customers reach environmental goals through cleantech solutions,” Kelowna International Airport CEO Sam Samaddar said. “Velocity Truck Centres is a campus partner committed to supporting net zero initiatives and the greenhouse gas reduction strategies that YLW is working towards.”

Velocity Truck Centres has 18 locations across B.C. and Alberta, and its parent company, Velocity Vehicle Group, is based in California and has more than 100 branches in the U.S., Mexico and Australia.