186 homes planned in Lake Country
Most units proposed for area downtown would be rented at below-market rates
Downtown Lake Country could have fewer kangaroos and more humans in a few years.
A total of 186 homes are planned for properties adjacent to Main Street. Some of them would be built on what is now a kangaroo farm, which plans to move to north Kelowna.
“This is exactly the kind of residential density we’ve long hoped to see for the area,” Lake Country Mayor James Baker said Thursday. “Getting people living right downtown, where they can walk to shops and services, is really what it’s all about.”
This week, town council began the rezoning process necessary for the projects to proceed.
Seventy-seven homes are planned for town-owned land in the 3100 block of Hill Road, and 109 are envisioned for land owned by construction company EllisDon at 9674 Jensen Rd.
Most of the units would be offered for rent at below-market rates for seniors and low-income families. Both projects would be managed by the Society of Hope.
“This project is a bit unusual in that it was EllisDon who approached us with the concept,” said Luke Stack, the non-profit society’s executive director. “Usually, we identify a property and then look for a builder to work with us.”
The Society of Hope manages about 700 housing units across the Central Okanagan, including four projects in Lake Country.
Construction of the two new projects is dependent on financing approval from BC Housing, which is currently reviewing the application. A decision is expected in early 2019.
The proposal would also see the town of Lake Country get 0.8 hectares of EllisDon’s property for future municipal purposes. The company would also build nearly 10,000 square feet of institutional space that might be used for a new art gallery or museum.
“Council is very excited about this project because it would deliver so many benefits for downtown,” Baker said.
Citing a need for more space to accommodate growing numbers of visitors, the operators of the kangaroo farm say they’re planning to relocate to farmland north of Kelowna’s airport in 2020.