Waterfront Park condo owners join forces on common issues

A rash of break-ins is of concern to highrise and townhome dwellers along Sunset Drive in downtown Kelowna.

The newly formed Community of Sunset Drive Stratas aims to represent the owners of approximately 1,100 homes in highrises and condos in the residential area around Waterfront Park.

“In the next couple of years, there’s going to be more than 1,000 new condos in the few square blocks around Sunset Drive,” group founder Lea Liddicoat says in a release.

“We felt it would be beneficial to area residents and owners if we could get the stratas to meet periodically to discuss common issues and speak with a unified voice to city leaders,” Liddicoat says.

Owners in existing buildings such as Waterscapes, the Lagoons, Discovery Bay and the Dolphins are members of the new group. New highrises, such as One Water Street and Ellis Parc, are under construction.

The group has met twice, in October and December. Topics for discussion included short-term rental guidelines, lack of parking in the area, the future use of the now-closed Tolko sawmill, and security and safety given the growing number of thefts and breakins.

“We’re going to reach out to city hall and the local RCMP detachment,” Waterscapes strata president Mike Martin says.

“Hopefully, they will meet with us to discuss these area challenges.”

Although there is a long-established neighbourhood association in the downtown north end, the new group will focus on property owners in and around Sunset Drive.