Kelowna city council give resounding support for Tolko Mill redevelopment vision

Kelowna city councillors couldn’t wait to offer their glowing endorsement of the new vision for redevelopment of the former Tolko sawmill site in the city’s north end.

This is in contrast to the previous plan which was harshly criticized by Coun. Loyal Wooldridge as being “underwhelming.”

He was highly critical of what he called a lack of public open space, saying much of what was presented was a “legislative requirement for riparian areas.”

Wooldridge, who returned to his council seat Monday following the provincial election campaign, was as complimentary of the new plan as he was critical of the previous one.

“The development team was tasked to go away and come back with something better that can prioritize the public and I was really excited to see what we saw today. They actually listened to the feedback and I'm impressed,” said Wooldridge following the meeting.

“For me it's the public open space that's the most important for people to be able to enjoy. I'm not afraid of density, but with that comes a need to ensure that people that live there and visit there have the space to actually enjoy it for free. It shouldn't all be paid-for access by private businesses. Pocket parks and different areas to recreate is really important for residents.”

Wooldridge, along with the rest of council, was also impressed with the innovative parking plan.

“We're used to the same old podiums in Kelowna so to hear them combine them into more of a rolling hill aspect as we've seen in Vancouver with their convention centre, speaks to how we can do things differently while still achieving the level of density that they'll be looking for.”

The plan brought before council was revised with fresh eyes from both Holar Development working for the property owner and city staff.

“Unfortunately the street layout, the scale and the massing of the buildings and the open spaces on the last plan didn’t hit all of the targets and high notes we were looking for,” said development planning manager Nola Kilmartin.

“Residents and tourists should have a sensory connection to the water, the interface between the public and private spaces should be comfortable and welcoming day and night.

“There should be opportunities for easy social interaction and exploration, and it should be fun and easy to navigate on foot, bike or car.”

She says the goal of the new plan is to improve integration with the site and the surrounding neighbourhoods, support easy movement in and around the north end and encourage year round activity while staying connected with the waterfront.

The plan includes about four hectares of dedicated parkland and .81 hectares of riparian area protection.

Building heights and density, while not specifically spelled out, are expected to mirror those of the downtown urban centre with taller buildings to the east with heights getting smaller as you move toward the water.

Mark Marshall, representing Holar Development said the site will feature its own sense of “character and place.”

“Stepping onto the property, it needs to feel like something special,” said Marshall.

“At the main entrance off of Ellis we propose to retain some of the original weight station that is there today, gates and heritage items, all structures that make reference to the industrial history of the site.

“The cultural heart of the mill site is a mix of specialty shops, restaurants and cafes and public spaces with a host of rotating events that will act as the hub of the community.

“Anchored by a hotel, the central plaza has a modern building that hovers over the historic shed Number 5 located there today. An old industrial building that features a gorgeous wood interior from bygone years that will be repurposed into a place to gather, eat and celebrate.”

The vision also includes the potential for a transit hub with the vision of several transit routes meeting at the hub.

While the buildout is expected to take place over 20 to 30 years, the plan is to activate a portion of the site as early as next summer.

“Over the first five years we will start with some temporary features and attractions to draw people to the site, then we will progress into building the cultural part of the master plan and start to populate the site.

“Phases two and three will deliver the critical mass of onsite residents, commercial options and public space that represent the true vision of this new community.”

Marshall says those phases may take 10 to 15 years to build out.

With approval granted from council , the development team will again go back to the public for feedback before developing the final redevelopment plan for council consideration.