Kelowna Construction

[giallo]

^^As someone who moved to Kelowna at a very young age and left at 19, I consider myself quite knowledgeable of all things K-Town and I'd have to say you hit the nail on the head. Only within the last few years has there been any sort of urban vision. Unfortunately, its almost too late. The city is a car-orientated disaster. I mean, what cities do you know of that have a population under 200K and full hour of gridlock during rush hour?
Kelowna is Canada's Phoenix.

[wisla_krakow]

I would say the two big culprits causing all the problems in Kelowna are the idiocy to build on steep sloping land far away from any services and the transportation network... or lack of. Our roads are terrible... TEEEEEEEEEEEERIBLE. As someone who commutes a lot, both the bus system and the road system is utter shit. Fix that, and you may just get yourself a feasible urban center.

[wisla_krakow]

not really construction news but there's a fire that's just exploded in the past 30 minutes above gorman bros. mill. I'll try and snap a few photos, but it's literally gone from a spot fire to like 3+ hectares in half an hour. it's really really close to the glenrosa neighborhood and only about 400m above gormans.

[wisla_krakow]

my best guess right now would be it's nearing 10 hectares. I've seen two homes burn down already, but there might have been a few more. Upper glenorsa is under evacuation order, because this thing is moving really quickly. There's a lot of wind, and only one bomber and one helicopter attacking it now.

edit* literally just now they have completely closed all of glenrosa off, and because my window is open, ash is starting to come inside.
not a good sign.

*edit #2, the wind is now blowing HARD north, which means the fire is moving into westbank. I'll be posting some quick snaps in a few minutes.

[bulliver]

Crazy man. Okanagan is reeling from fires the last several years.

[Ogopogo Fan]

Rendering of a new project around Pandosy/Lake Ave...

[Ogopogo Fan]

Better SOPA pic...

[giallo]

Awesome.

That corner NEEDS this development. As it stands, its an abandoned gas station and Fields store if I remember correctly.

[Ogopogo Fan]

Originally Posted by giallo

Awesome.

That corner NEEDS this development. As it stands, its an abandoned gas station and Fields store if I remember correctly.

Nah, it's changed a bit. Bookstore, bubble tea...random crap...still, the buildings that are there are incredibly dumpy. This would be great.

[wisla_krakow]

pleeeeeeeeeeease please please let there be some bars on the bottom floor.

[clooless]

Anyone know what is happening with "The Conservatory"? I am back home in Kelowna for the week and drove by this project on my way to a friend's house in north Glenmore.

Apparently construction has been an on again/off again affair for the last few years. Is it ever going to be finished?

[Stingray2004]

So the floating pontoons from the old Lake Okanagan Bridge look like they will be recycled and put to another use after all:

Kelowna moving forward on $6 million public pier project

What does $6 million buy?

For starters, it will buy the City of Kelowna a new public pier and marina made out of old bridge pontoons.

If the project goes ahead, which appears quite likely now that it has survived the alternate approval process, it will essentially create two acres of waterfront park space, providing residents and visitors the ability to walk out 300 metres onto Okanagan Lake.

It will also create an additional 269 long term moorage spaces the city can rent out, along with 50 to 60 day use slips for transient boaters.

http://www.kelowna.com/2009/08/10/ke...-pier-project/

[Ogopogo Fan]

Originally Posted by Stingray2004

So the floating pontoons from the old Lake Okanagan Bridge look like they will be recycled and put to another use after all:





http://www.kelowna.com/2009/08/10/ke...-pier-project/

Plan is already on the rocks:

http://www.kelowna.com/2009/08/10/up...esign-changes/

I've seen a lot of different angles of this thing and, in my opinion, it looks like crap.

I think if they want to build a new pier/breakwater they should just start from scratch, rather than stapling some lamp posts and benches to these old things...

[vitc]

Ya, I agree - the plan is just plain stupid - just imagine how big these things will look from the shoreline. Plus they are way past their life and will be a maintenance nightmare.

[hollywoodnorth]

I think its a good idea and in a NIMBY town like Kelowna every small step is a GIANT LEAP! I think this is only a positive.

[wisla_krakow]

it was officially canceled yesterday though. our elected officials can never make up their stupid minds.

[wisla_krakow]

Wow...

Shark sees a gem in Peachland

The stage is set for some major growth in Peachland with a little help from pro golfer Greg Norman.

Norman (aka The Shark) was in Peachland Monday to announce that he's redesigning the Ponderosa golf course which closed after the clubhouse caught fire three years ago.

At Norman's side was developer Norm Porter of Treegroup who announced that his company is investing more than $1 billion into the tiny community south of Kelowna.

Porter and his group have purchased more than 400 acres surrounding the golf course where there are plans to build up to 2,000 homes (10% affordable housing), village centre, winery and hotel.

"We don't want to create a conflict with Peachland. We want to create a project with what Peachland already has," says Porter who notes that the Westbank First Nation is also a partner in the mega project with more than 100 acres invested.

Peachland's has roughly 2,200 homes and a population of approximately 5,000. Porter's project would essentially double the size of Peachland stretched out over 20 years.

He says priority one is bringing the Ponderosa Golf Course up to par and that's where Greg Norman comes in.

He says it will be a signature course designed for pros and the public.

"It's a culmination of everything and very rarely do you get that. So from our perspective, we're very fortunate to be involved here. It will turn out to be a gem."

He says the goal is to use the natural features of the course, with the pine beetle in mind.

"Mother nature sent these bugs here for a reason and we have to factor those in. It's not something we don't think about in the long run and make those adaptations as you go forward. The pine beetle is currently moving through the area."

Construction of the new golf course and clubhouse will begin immediately, with completion set for spring 2011.

Porter estimates the entire project will create 7,000 construction jobs and 200 indirect jobs in the community when completed.

castanet.net

[Calgarian]

The biggest problem with driving in Kelowna is the lack of options, Harvey reminds me a lot of MacLeod tr here in Calgary, an that's a really bad thing. Kelowna needs a second lake crossing and there aren't really any good options that wouldn't involve lots of demolition. Springfield is the only real option IMO.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by wisla_krakow

it was officially canceled yesterday though. our elected officials can never make up their stupid minds.

Which project got canceled? that condo or the pier?

[wisla_krakow]

The pier.
Also, I disagree about Springfield. That road can't handle anymore traffic, let alone be expanded into a second crossing. I think that what the city has planned right now: Central Okanagan Bypass running through the north end, is the best idea.
The big plan is to have the second crossing go over the mountains and meet up with the Connector. But that's 20-30 years away.