Middle school to open in fall 2021

Construction is underway on Lake Country’s new middle school.

H.S. Grenda Middle School is being built on land south of George Elliot Secondary School and is expected to be ready for students in September 2021.

“Students and families in Lake Country have been waiting years for this school, and it’s so exciting to see it moving forward,” said Minister of Education Rob Fleming in a provincial news release announcing the start of construction.

The new school will include a Neighbourhood Learning Centre that Central Okanagan Public Schools intends to use for child care.

The province is providing $35.1 million for the new school, while the Central Okanagan School District is contributing $5.3 million. The school is designed for 600 students.

Alleged thief faces 9 charges

A 33-year-old Kelowna man is facing nine charges after a police investigation into a series of breakins and vehicle thefts.

Charges against Thomas Aaron Udell include possession of stolen property, flight from police, assaulting a peace officer, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and disguising his face with intent to commit a crime.

Police in Kelowna say that about 3 p.m. Wednesday they spotted a stolen Jeep in a parking lot on Enterprise Way.

A man attempted to flee from police on foot but was arrested after a short chase. Following his arrest, officers found evidence related to ongoing commercial break-and-enter investigations in Kelowna.

A Jeep was reported stolen from a Kelowna dealership on Jan. 8. On Jan. 9, police attempted to stop the Jeep, but it got away after colliding with a police car. Later, a man and woman connected to the driver were arrested at a hotel and some vehicle dealership keys were recovered.

The BC Prosecution Service approved the nine charges Thursday.

City wants more than just homes

A five-storey residential project near Kelowna General Hospital should include some live-work units, city council will hear Monday.

The building, proposed for the 2200 block of Speer Street, would have 24 units. To comply with regulations for the city’s hospital district, municipal planners hope to see some of the units include medical services.

“The goal of the live-work units is to provide the option for health-related uses such as medical offices, counselling and rehabilitation services, and other health services,” reads part of a staff report to council.

The properties are suitable for higher-density housing, planners say, because of their proximity to transit lines and urban centres.

Winery proposed for farmland

Kelowna businessman Trent Kitsch hopes to win approval to build a new winery on a farm he’s converting to a vineyard.

Kitsch owns an eight-hectare property, formerly a cherry orchard, at 2830 East Kelowna Rd. About 5.7 hectares are being converted to growing grapes.

Because the vineyard is in its infancy, the site would not normally qualify as a building site for a winery.

At Monday’s city council meeting, Kitsch will ask for council’s support of a non-farm application to the Agricultural Land Commission. If approved by the ALC, that would permit construction of the winery to begin even though the grapes are not mature enough to make wine.

Until the vineyard is producing, grapes would be sourced for the winery from other farms owned or leased by Kitsch.

The proposed winery would be 10,200 square feet in size.

Municipal planners support Kitsch’s plans as complementary to the city’s agricultural policies and recommend council endorse the non-farm application, but the final decision is up to the ALC.

Kitsch’s other business interests have included a line of men’s underwear, a federally licensed marijuana production facility and residential subdivisions.

Flight scrubbed over landing gear

An Air Canada flight leaving Kelowna had to turn around Friday morning and come back due to an issue with its landing gear.

Emergency crews were dispatched, but the plane landed safely.

Passengers headed for Vancouver disembarked and returned to the terminal.