No low-cost housing being built

In recent months there has been much discussion about building highrise buildings in Kelowna, some of which promise a certain fraction of residential units to be at “market value,” the rest to be luxury units.

What this does, unfortunately, is to distort the market with the extra provision of highpriced accommodation, along with “averagepriced” units, but no new low-cost units.

All this at the same time as low-cost housing in the form of trailer parks is being taken off the market: examples being the Hiawatha park on Lakeshore, the trailer park next to Gyro beach and the rather nice and large trailer park on Casorso Road that has recently been purchased by a developer.

It is high time council and the administration get a proper handle on the provision of affordable accommodation and emphasize not building units that start at market levels and go up from there, but rather build down in cost and affordability from there.

While on the issue of affordability, we're also seeing the removal of affordable and walkable golf courses. The city owns the Shadow Ridge Golf Course for the purpose of airport expansion, and has more recently eyed the Michaelbrook course to create more playing fields in the Lower Mission.

Additionally, the Kelowna Springs Golf Course has been sold to a developer for the purpose of creating an industrial park.

All three courses are highly popular, particularly with our senior citizens who can’t afford the prices at the more resort style courses, which also require a longer drive to get there.

Between them, these courses see 700-800 Kelowna residents out for wholesome exercise on a daily basis, and the removal of these is not likely to be replaced by other walkable and affordable courses.

Both these issues are part of the larger issue of this city becoming considerably less affordable and less liveable for our average citizen.

We need a fresh approach and fresh faces on council that consider the broader issues of the enjoyment of life of its citizens.