Mayoral candidate Tom Dyas says he will fight to keep Kelowna Springs

Photo: Contributed

At least one Kelowna mayoral candidate is making the Kelowna Springs Golf course an election issue.

Tom Dyas has announced that if he wins the municipal election he would fight to save Kelowna Springs Golf Course from being turned into warehouses.

“Leadership is about making difficult choices, and while we must plan for the growth Kelowna is going through, we have to be extremely thoughtful so that we don’t erode the amenities and lifestyles that have led people to call Kelowna home in the first place,” said Dyas. “Residents have told me that they expect their next mayor to fight to save Kelowna Springs and that’s what I will do.”

The topic has been before council twice, the last time on July 25.

Kelowna current mayor and council supported the designation of the lands as industrial when passing its Official Community Plan 2040 by a vote of 4-3. The topic will be revisited at a future meeting, with Mayor Colin Basran and Couns. Loyal Wooldridge and Ryan Donn voting against revisiting. Couns. Maxine DeHart, Mohini Singh, Charlie Hodge and Luke Stack voted to continue the discussion.

“In recent years, Kelowna has lost Central Park to Walmart, Fairview to housing, Shadow Ridge eventually to an airport expansion, Michaelbrook to baseball fields and Kelowna Springs now designated for warehouses. The potential cumulative loss of these five courses is significant,” said Dyas.

“While significant changes in a growing city have to be expected, it is important that we never lose sight of why people choose to live here in the first place.”