Central Green’s downsizing divided Kelowna council
Editor’s Note: The Daily Courier presents another story in its How They Voted pre-election series looking at how city councillors voted on key issues during the past four years.
One part of the dream for Central Green was of high-rises along the highway that opened up a lot of public space at ground level.
But the reality is a collection of low-rises located less than a stone’s throw from one another.
“Just because you want a tower doesn’t mean you can build a tower, reasonably,” Bob Daigenais of Al Stober Construction told council in January.
The company bought the prime development land from the city in 2014 for $6 million after it had sat vacant for many years.
Central Green, the former site of Kelowna Secondary, was conceived by the city through a long public consultation process as a showpiece project that would incorporate affordable housing, ecofriendly building techniques, and 500 new homes arrayed around a large new public park.
Central Green was to help boost the number of people living downtown, enhancing the area’s economic vitality.
Original plans suggested towers of up to 20 storeys along Harvey Avenue, southwest of the intersection with Richter Street. But as the build-out occurred, one low rise after another was presented for council's approval.
Council seemed to believe there was still the potential for a high-rise, but Daigenais’ comments all but ended that hope.
“I pretty much heard we’re not going to see the kind of height we wanted to see on that site,” said Coun. Gail Given. “It isn’t going to be what we thought we were getting.”
It then emerged the city had only specified the number of units that should be built, not mandated construction of one or more high-rises to create more open space at ground level.
“We’ve done our job in terms of providing the maximum amount of density on this site,” Daigenais told council on Jan. 8.
After a month’s delay, council voted 7-2 to approve the latest five storey, 108-suite building on Central Green.
Those in favour noted the city still achieved other important objectives associated with Central Green, but the minority said the resulting development was unimpressive and too great a departure from the original plan. Here’s how they voted: In support: Mayor Colin Basran and councillors Luke Stack, Maxine DeHart, Gail Given, Brad Sieben, Mohini Singh and Tracy Gray.
Against: Councillors Ryan Donn and Charlie Hodge.