Photo: Wayne Moore
The City of West Kelowna hit a milestone in 2022, celebrating the 15th anniversary of incorporation on Dec. 6.
While the milestone was significant for the 22nd largest city in the province, the year itself was, in many respects, a continuation of projects the city has been undertaking almost since incorporation.
The city continued to prioritize upgrading and updating infrastructure including 9.4 lane kilometers of new sidewalks and bike lanes and 15.1 lane kilometers of resurfaced roads, highlighted by sidewalks along Stevens Road, Shannon Lake Road and Shannon Lake Drive and the new roundabout at Bartley, Stevens and Shannon Lake roads.
And, as the city gets ready to complete its two major projects, the new city hall and the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant in 2023, newly re-elected mayor Gord Milsom says it was an exciting year in moving the city forward.
“We continue to focus on delivering infrastructure improvements. I’m proud of the fact we kept our attention focused on those area,” the mayor said during a year-end interview with Castanet News.
“We continue to grow. Over $200 million worth of new construction value and 692 building permits issued this year.
“Council also updated its development cost charges to ensure those generate sufficient funds to pay for future infrastructure costs related to our growth.”
Behind the scenes, the council continued to work on its two major long-range plans, the official community plan and transportation master plan.
Milsom says he was also pleased annual Union of BC Municipalities meetings were again held in person, allowing council and senior staff the opportunity to meet face-to-face with provincial ministers to advocate for issues important to the city.
“We continued to advocate to secure a redundant power supply, Highway 97 improvements, investment in affordable housing for low income seniors and families and for additional police officers within the provincial rural portion of our integrated police detachment.”
While 2022 was a year to reconnect following COVID-imposed restrictions and a steady improvement of much needed infrastructure, Milsom is looking ahead to 2023 and the completion of the aforementioned mega-projects.
“These are two very important projects for our community,” said Milsom.
“The Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant…being able to provide clean, safe, reliable water to 50 percent of our community that has been under boil water notices is important.”
The $75 million project is expected to come online in the spring.
“I love the fact we were able to partner with the regional library to build our new city hall/library building. Of course, Westbank First Nation is our community partner.
“I’m excited to be able to bring many of our employees together to work under one roof instead of having to work in different locations. We can have a more efficient operation.”
Once the new city hall is open, a decision will be made as to how to return the former city hall back to a community center as was the plan from day one.
Milsom is also looking ahead beyond the new year to other initiatives such as the preferred growth concept within the framework of the new OCP which suggests areas for future development.
There will be a need to find housing for the approximately 18,000 new residents expected in the city by 2040.
Future development will include more density within the city’s two urban centres, Westbank Center and Boucherie Centre.
“If we can return Main Street to the community and have Dobbin Road expanded so that’s where the northbound and southbound lanes of Highway 97 would be…that’s the ideal arrangement.
“If we can reverse that, it would provide an economic stimulus for the downtown area.”
Milsom admits it’s a slow process, but says the province is aware of the city’s concerns and desire to eliminate the couplet which has been in existence for nearly four decades.
“There will be a focus on higher density within Westbank Center which should help with the revitalization of the downtown core.”
Another downtown revitalization project is the possible elimination of the couplet which Milsom says is the subject of continued discussions with the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
