Hotel idea gets to 1st base

Mundi Hotel Enterprises from Kamloops, plans on a four-storey, 95-suite hotel with 95 parking stalls

A hotel proposed for the old bingo hall site cleared its first hurdle, Tuesday.

In a short presentation to Penticton city council, planning manager Blake Laven outlined a rezoning application for the adjacent properties of 602 and 640 Eckhardt Ave. near King’s Park and the Adidas Sportsplex soccer bubble.

The developer, Mundi Hotel Enterprises from Kamloops, plans on a fourstorey, 95-suite hotel with 95 parking stalls, most of which will be located at the rear of the building.

An increase in permitted height from 12 meters to 13.4 meters will be required for the middle section of the building.

“This property is a little undersized for a normal hotel site,” Laven said. “Originally they were trying to make a three-storey building, but to get the unit count and provide the parking and ground floor amenities they had to add a fourth storey.”

The hotel will be a Marriott Fairfield Inn and Suites. The same ownership group recently received approval to build an 80-room hotel in Oliver.

Laven said a transportation impact assessment on Orchard Avenue, Caribou Street and Eckhardt Avenue will be taken. Some upgrades to a nearby intersection might be required.

The developer will gift the city a 2.9-metre portion of the property for road dedication, which will make Eckhardt Avenue wider.

Council voted unanimously to take the issue to public hearing on Tuesday, July 4.

“My concerns are going to be about traffic, but apparently they’re doing an assessment,” said Coun. Campbell Watt. “I’m cautious about what a left-hand turn is going to look like to get on to one of our busiest streets.”

The property was recently purchased by Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd., which promptly closed the bingo hall.

Director of development services Anthony Haddad said he’s uncertain if the property will be sold to the new hotel operator.

Anyone wishing to speak in favour or opposition of the proposal is invited to write to council prior to July 4 or speak publicly at the hearing, which will begin at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Two other public hearings will be held on July 4 unrelated to the hotel proposal.

A zoning amendment is requested for 218 Norton St. The lot presently has a single-family dwelling. The property owner proposes developing a side-by-side duplex with suites with vehicle access from Townley Street.

And a development variance permit is requested for 102 Cossar Ave. The property is presently a singledetached dwelling but the developer proposes constructing a four-unit townhouse. Three units will front Cossar Avenue with the fourth facing the rear lane.