Affordability for 800 families
Dear editor: We are owner operators of Diamond-T Ranch, along with our son and his family. Our local cattle and hay operation is located in the North Glenmore community. We are and have been farming various properties in Kelowna for 60 years.
We purchased our 108 acres of mountain land in 1980. Prior to purchasing we did our due diligence knowing the acreage was out of the ALR and we were told by the city that the landfill was going to be reclaimed for agricultural use.
Twenty-two years ago, we approached the City of Kelowna with a plan to subdivide our land into several smaller acreages, which would allow us to scale down our cattle farming operations and to retire comfortably in our much-loved community. At this time the approving officer indicated that they had concerns with the subdivision of our land, as it was more suitable for a development “similar to Dilworth Mountain.” This was in 1996. We have since engaged Troika Management Corp. which spent more than a decade planning what we believed to be a marvelous community for many kinds of people from all walks of life. We call it Diamond Mountain. Unfortunately, the Diamond Mountain community plan is at risk of being thrown out due to the proximity to the Glenmore landfill, and the city’s staff fear of potential nuisances.
For the last 38 years, we have daily tended to feeding, calving, cleaning corrals, fencing etc. on our mountain and have never in all these years been affected adversely by the landfill. Twelve years ago we built our residences on the mountain 500 meters from the landfill. There is no issue with dust, noise, or smell making its way to our property.
We realize that the City of Kelowna approving officer in 1996 was correct: our land has the potential to become something much greater than a few acreages for the wealthy.
We have an opportunity to create sustainable, affordable homes for 800 families, with access to daycare, senior housing, parks, and trails for the entire community to enjoy.
On Monday, council will vote on whether our dream of sharing the land that we love with our community will become a reality. We hope they make the right decision so we can see many happy residents enjoying the land that we have enjoyed for so many years.
Please share your support by emailing mayorandcouncil@Kelowna.ca Len and Marlene Tonn
Kelowna