By admin
While many residents are awaiting the start of summer weather, the often-forgotten 5th season of the year has certainly gotten people talking: construction season.
Without a doubt, the most-discussed project has been the Gordon Drive bridge construction. On June 1, a three-month closure began as motorists were detoured onto Swamp and Lakeshore. At that exact moment, brows furrowed, traffic snarled and the rush-hour commute got a lot more tedious for Mission residents. I thought I’d take a shot at answering some of the questions I’ve heard since the closure.
What is your problem? Do you hate Mission residents?
During the November by-election where I won my Council seat, one-third of my votes came from polls in the Mission, including a resounding 400-vote win at Ann McClymont Elementary. I don’t hate you, Mission residents. I love you very much.
Then why did you close the Gordon Drive bridge?
Because I’m building you a better one!
But you’re a walking disaster!
Oh yeah, that’s right. Thankfully, I’m not PERSONALLY building the new bridge – our highly professional and talented City crews will handle the project.
Well, that’s a relief. So how will the new bridge be better?
In a couple of ways. The new bridge will be 4 lanes. This means Gordon will be the same width all the way from downtown to past the Capital News Centre. Furthermore, the 4 lanes will go over the Mission Creek Greenway trail (just like the bridge at Casorso) so motorists won’t have to stop for the crosswalk any more. More importantly, the pedestrians don’t have to contend with any intersections as they stroll down the final leg of the Greenway towards the lake. Finally, the wider road will be accompanied by an off-road multi-use pathway, which will make it safer and easier for cyclists and pedestrians to access the pool, library, soccer fields, and other amenities in the area.
But why summer? I was so excited to roll down the windows, crank up the volume on my Miley Cyrus CD and cruise down Gordon.
The timing was pretty tricky because there’s all sorts of restrictions when working over the creek to ensure no harm is done to the fish which spawn there. Also, while it will be a pain for the first month, traffic numbers on Gordon are lower during July and August when there are no longer students being dropped off at schools in the area. Also, I’d like my CD back soon – you said you were only borrowing it for a few days.
When will the road be back open?
The closure is expected to last until September 10, with the project set for completion later in the fall. Check for updates at www.kelowna.ca/cityprojects and/or www.kelowna.ca/roadreport. The second one is updated daily, I believe.
Wait, did you just admit you own a Miley Cyrus CD?
I have to go now. Important city business.
By admin
Well, I’ve certainly slacked on my writing since the by-election last year – my last post on kevincraig.ca was December 1st. With school finished for the summer and some time on my hands, now seems like a good time to get back to blogging and discuss an issue that has dominated the public discourse since before the 2008 election: rabbits. CD-21.
An excellent backgrounder on CD-21 can be found here. Essentially, it laid out a proposed vision for 4 blocks of downtown: from the highway over to Queensway, between the lake and Water St. There were 12 highrise buildings envisioned for the area, with the tallest coming in at 27 stories. An extensive amenity package was to be collected from developers as projects proceeded within the zone. It included money to establish the following within the area: parks, affordable housing, a public pier, a plaza around the sails and a new road which would allow the City to close off the bottom of Bernard for pedestrian use only.
The plan was not perfect, however. I communicated during the by-election campaign that I was opposed to the original proposal. In particular, I was concerned about the highrise hotel slated for waterfront parkland. Furthermore, I felt that some of the buildings along Bernard Avenue were too tall. With those two concerns in mind, I voted in February to rescind second and third readings of the CD21 bylaw and re-open the plan for changes.
I never had any doubt, however, that a comprehensive development zone was the right tool to revitalize the area. It allowed the City to lay out a detailed picture of what our downtown could become, and provided a mechanism of collecting substantial funding towards amenities from developers, rather than putting taxpayers on the hook for the improvements to the area.
Moreover, I was confident that my concerns – the hotel site and the building heights – could be addressed by amending the CD21 plan, rather than scrapping the initiative entirely. I am only one vote on a Council of nine, however, and six of my colleagues felt their concerns could not be accommodated within the context of CD21. The end result was a vote to kill the zone and initiate a review of the whole downtown area.
I feel this is a missed opportunity for Kelowna. I believed that we could arrive at a compromise which would enjoy more broad-based support, and initiate progress towards a densified town centre and a more vibrant downtown. That said, City Council is made up of 9 individuals with diverse backgrounds and differing views. Everyone at the Council table voted their conscience and the majority felt it was appropriate to rescind first reading. As Councillors, our job is to leave the vote at the Council table and move on. That is certainly my intention.
What lies ahead is uncertain, but there is no doubt that the 2 years and million-plus dollars expended on CD 21 are now destined only to fade into the past.
By admin
I’ve had a few days to let the results sink in and I’m finally starting to accept that perhaps I haven’t dreamed all of this up. Ever since polls closed, life has been a little surreal. There has been lots of media coverage of this story. In case you didn’t catch it, every word in that sentence links to a different article discussing Saturday’s success. It also doesn’t include the six radio interviews I’ve done.
Needless to say, the story of my win grew significantly larger than I expected it would. I’ve spent more time taking care of media obligations over the last few days than I had hoped to, but I’m fairly sure that’s levelled off now. For anyone who really can’t go more than a few days without reading about me, the good folks at Kelowna.com will be running a profile story this Sunday.
However, I am glad that I can finally stop yapping about myself and my campaign, and instead get down to work. First and foremost, I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who got out and voted. I am particularly grateful to the 2863 who placed their faith in my abilities and placed their checkmark next to my name.
I truly appreciate the support and look forward to getting started on Council. All I have proven so far is that young people can get elected. The challenge now is to prove that young people can serve effectively as members of local government. I recognize that I only won 28% of the votes cast. Most people supported other candidates. Rather than discouraging me, this fact simply leaves me motivated to reach out and build bridges with those voters as well as with the 89% of the electorate who stayed home.
Today was the first day of my orientation process and I’ll share some thoughts when I’ve got a little more to talk about, but I feel it is important to reiterate that I am fully committed to learning everything I need to know before I am sworn in at Council’s regular 1:30 meeting on December 14.
By admin
The unofficial results of the 2009 Kelowna City Council By-Election show that Kevin Craig has been elected.
Candidate Votes %
CRAIG, Kevin 2863 28.22
SANDERSON, Todd 2427 23.92
NIELSEN, Vern 1665 16.41
GRAHAM, Mary-Ann 1004 9.90
PATTERSON, Ernie 527 5.19
THOMPSON, Mark 406 4.00
REED, Matthew 280 2.76
HALLFORD, Valerie 270 2.66
MIX, Rocky 270 2.66
LOEWEN, Michael 172 1.70
ROJEM, Dennis William 116 1.14
KESSLER, Clay 53 0.52
OUELLETTE, Kim 45 0.44
UITVLUGT, Andy 30 0.30
MURPHY, James 18 0.18
By admin
Last night, I was one of the guests at the Kelowna Community Food Bank’s Donor Appreciation Night. I am a relative newbie to the Food Bank board, having taken a position as a Director just under a year ago. I have truly enjoyed being part of an organization which fills such a critical need in our community.
Recently, the Food Bank kicked off its No Hungry Children fundraising campaign. The idea behind this initiative is to sign people up for a monthly $35/month donation to support the Food Bank’s children’s programs. Even in a city with Kelowna’s wealth, there were 9000 children who accessed the KCFB’s services and children make up 40% of the Food Bank’s users. Without something as fundamental as access to nutritious food, children are at a massive disadvantage in terms of education and opportunity. If you have some money or food to spare, please consider supporting your local Food Bank.
By admin
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce distributed the following survey to all candidates. Here are my responses:
Nearly two years ago, the City of Kelowna initiated a Comprehensive Development Zoning process to jump start revitalization in a vital section of our downtown. Do you support the Comprehensive Development Zone? Please explain.
I strongly support downtown redevelopment but I am not in favour of the CD-21 Zone. While I like many aspects of the plan – such as the move towards greater density in the downtown area – I do not support the development of highrise buildings so close to the lake, as is the case with the hotel slated for the Royal Trust site. In addition, issues such as parking, heritage building protection and greenspace provision also need to be addressed more thoroughly. Our downtown has all the ingredients to become a world-class urban centre, but I do not feel the CD21 puts Kelowna in the best situation to achieve that potential.
For some time the prospect of developing a business case for a convention centre in Kelowna has been the subject of discussion. What is your perspective on the feasibility of a convention centre in Kelowna?
The construction of a convention centre represents an enormous opportunity for Kelowna. Tourism is a key sector in the local economy, and such a facility would greatly increase our ability to attract visitors year-round. There are issues to address before proceeding with a convention centre: Who would be responsible for the ongoing operational costs? Where would the facility be located? Is there adequate infrastructure to accommodate the project? It would be unwise to rush forward without fully considering these factors. However, with adequate planning, a convention centre could be an excellent addition to Kelowna’s economic landscape.
There is currently a lack of affordable housing in Kelowna, and prior to the economic downturn, Kelowna had the lowest rental vacancy rates in Canada. A lack of affordable housing has a direct impact on the ability of businesses to retain current employees who have difficulty in meeting their housing needs. It also impacts the ability of businesses to recruit new employees into the region due to high housing costs. How would you address the issue of affordable housing in Kelowna?
Municipal government alone cannot address affordable housing, so I would work with our MLA’s and MP’s to ensure Kelowna is a priority for provincial and federal funds. At the local level, we need provide incentives for developers to add affordable units to projects, and cash (in lieu of units) should also be considered. In addition, I support the establishment of secondary suites in areas where additional density can be accommodated. Overall, a collaborative approach is needed between all levels of government to address Kelowna’s lack of affordable housing. We have seen this formula applied successfully with the NOW Canada and Boyce Crescent affordable housing buildings, where federal, provincial and municipal governments brought funding and land to the table, and a local non-profit was able to operate the building.
The cost of congestion on business/tourism in Kelowna remains a key priority for the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. What are your priorities relating to improvements to the transportation infrastructure along Highway 97 in the Kelowna area?
Long-term, I would work towards securing funds for completion of the Central Okanagan Bypass and a second crossing of Okanagan Lake. City Council must lobby provincial and federal governments to ensure these projects are added to the To Do list for senior levels of government. Both of these projects will make the movement of good in and out of Kelowna considerably easier.
On smaller scale, I believe that improving traffic signal synchronization is a low-cost way to eliminate a constant stop-and-start flow of traffic. In addition, I will seek to assess the effectiveness of the HOV lanes once they have been given an adequate trial period. Finally, I support initiatives to promote alternative transportation. The more practical we make it for people to leave their car behind, the less congested our roads will be. Transit, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian-oriented development should be initiated.
To ensure future prosperity for Kelowna, economic, environmental and social considerations need to be addressed in an integrated way. If you were elected, how would you work to ensure this balance is achieved?
Increasing the level of public input and engagement in civic decision-making will help ensure that all viewpoints are being considered and all factors – economic, environmental, and social – are taken into account before Council proceeds with a project. There are many situations where all three factors are satisfied: densified town centres create greater opportunities for mixed-use buildings with retail on the ground floor, while also lowering the carbon footprint and providing a venue for affordable housing. Council can provide incentives to stimulate this type of development.
The Kelowna Chamber has concerns about the negative impact that crime by chronic offenders has on business in Kelowna. If elected, what would you do to minimize the negative effect that crime by chronic offenders has on the business community?
The recent step to start the process of bringing a community court to Kelowna is a positive one. This will allow us to implement localized solutions to crime and justice issues. If elected, I would continue to work towards the implementation of a community court.
Furthermore, future development projects should be encouraged to adopt the principles of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Practical steps such as ensuring there is adequate lighting and clear sightlines will increase public safety. In addition, we must ensure that adequate rehabilitation for offenders opportunities exist in order to diminish the likelihood of repeated offenses. Finally, we can decrease crime by youths by ensuring that adequate recreational and cultural opportunities exist.
By admin
Today, I stood amongst a sea of Kelowna residents at City Park and took a few moments to remember the sacrifices of our veterans. I was absolutely thrilled to see so many people in attendance. With so many distractions and commitments in our day-to-day lives, it’s easy to forget that a mere 65 years ago, the entire world was ebmroiled in a war. Thousands of fine Canadians have given their lives to ensure we enjoy the freedoms, rights, and privileges we enjoy today, and the least we can do is observe a few moments of silence in their memory.
Today, we pay tribute to our veterans at Remembrance Day ceremonies, but it is in voting that we truly honour the young men who died for democracy not so long ago. Please make sure you cast a ballot on November 28.
By admin
This morning, I was pleased to attend the groundbreaking for NOW Canada’s affordable housing development on Tutt St. While the economic downturn brought property prices down slightly, adequate housing in Kelowna remains out of reach for many residents.
Before the recession, Kelowna had a rental vacancy rate of less than 1%. This represents a major economic stumbling block: talented professionals are choosing not to make Kelowna home because it is simply too expensive. This leaves local businesses scrambling to find staff or struggling to attract the right employees.
The situation is affecting a wide variety of local employers: the RCMP, for example, have taken to hiring new recruits because they couldn’t convince longer-tenured officers to move their families to Kelowna.
On top of the economic costs, the lack of affordable housing is a key contributor to homelessness. Housing is deemed affordable when it consumes no more than 30% of a person’s monthly budget. Many Kelowna residents eclipse the 30% mark every month. It is important for Council to take action on this critical issue and I am eager to play a leading role in this process.
We must be willing to build partnerships: NOW Canada’s project involved provincial and municipal governments teaming up with a local non-profit and is a model for how future affordable housing initiatives could take shape. Furthermore, Council must co-operate with developers to understand what incentives could provide to make affordable housing a more attractive possibility in development projects. Finally, we must identify areas that can accommodate additional density and allow secondary suites to proceed there.
Today’s groundbreaking at Tutt Street Place is a step forward for the community, but it is simply one step in a marathon.
By admin
Today’s Council meeting was a record-breaker. No, there wasn’t a record high number of development applications passed. No, the record for most money committed during a Council meeting was not broken. As it happens, quite the opposite is true. The meeting lasted less than half an hour.
During the abbreviated meeting, Council’s main decision involved covering the cost incurred by the Legion using Parkinson Rec Centre for their Veterans Dinner. Other than that, it was some routine development applications and a bylaw or two to rubber stamp.
Looks like my afternoon just opened up a little!
By admin
The following questionnaire was distributed to all candidates. Here are my answers:
1) What is the job of a city councillor in your opinion?
Having attended two years’ worth of Council meetings, I have gained a clearer understanding of a Councillor’s role. Councillors make decisions about small changes in land use and development every week, and these small changes add up very quickly to shape the overall growth of the city. In addition, Council is responsible for ensuring that municipal services such as waste collection, sewage treatment, parks and recreation are being delivered to an adequate level and in a fiscally responsible manner. Finally, a Councillor must frequently engage the public in discussion about where our city should be headed long-term, and what can be improved about local government and its services. Councillors should be constantly looking for feedback and insight from residents to ensure they are in touch with the public’s priorities.
2) What do you see as the biggest issue council will have to deal with
over the next two years and what is your position on that issue?
The biggest issue facing both this Council during the remainder of its term and future Councils is the upcoming demographic shift. 19% of Kelowna’s population is over 65, and the region is home to 50,000 people between the ages of 40 and 60. City Council must take proactive steps now, rather than reacting in the future when the problem is more drastic. First, Council must bridge the disconnect between municipal government and the business community. Establishing a business-friendly climate will allow us to attract the high-level jobs needed to keep young people in the valley. Second, Council must invest in upgrades to transit. As our population ages, we will see an increase in the number of people who are no longer driving. We need to ensure that they have a safe, accessible transportation option. Finally, we must build partnerships with other levels of government to ensure a well-coordinated effort exists to increase the amount of affordable housing in Kelowna. By doing this, we will address one challenge currently facing Kelowna companies as they try to attract staff, we will mitigate one of the greatest contributing factors to homelessness, and we will make it possible for young families to make Kelowna their home.
3) As Kelowna continues to grow, how should that growth be managed?
Should we build up (taller multi-unit buildings) or continue spreading
out?
I believe that smart growth principles should be applied to our city planning. Rather than sprawling, I favour densification in urban areas, and support highrise development where adequate infrastructure exists. We are quite simply running out of room to spread out further into the hills, so our focus must instead be on sensitive in-fill, where we allow residents to subdivide or create secondary suites in areas which can accommodate additional density. Our community would be best served by developing town centres where people can live, work, and play in the same area. The downtown core and uptown Rutland are excellent examples of locations where we ought to encourage residential development and a more pedestrian-oriented transportation network. I believe the ongoing OCP review presents a great opportunity to identify areas suitable for densification. The real key to managing growth, however, is sticking to the OCP’s guidelines once it has been updated. A plan is meaningless unless it is closely adhered to.
4) What do you think of the CD-21 zone? How do you think Kelowna’s downtown can be revitalized?
I do not support CD-21 in its current form. While I like many aspects of the current plan, I am not comfortable with the proximity of some of the highrise towers to the waterfront. The 16-storey hotel planned for the former Royal Trust site and a portion of Kerry Park is of particular concern to me. The waterfront is our downtown’s best selling point, and we would be foolish to block it off to the public by developing too close to the lake. In addition, I remain sceptical of the plan’s ability to meet demand for parking and to respect the integrity of heritage buildings. Finally, and most importantly, I believe the public sent a clear message in November 2008 when it voted to elect a Council consisting mostly of members who were opposed to CD-21. We must respect the will of the voters and construct a plan more palatable to the general public. Our downtown has enormous potential to become a safe, friendly, vibrant place where people can live, work, and play. I am truly excited by the possibilities that exist for a revitalized downtown Kelowna, and look forward to harnessing these possibilities through an improved CD Zone.
5) Any thing else you would like to say?
Running for elected office is no small task, and I would like to commend all of the other candidates for putting their names forward. Kelowna will be well-served by whoever wins this by-election. I believe I can offer the best complement to the current Council through my unique skillset, my collaborative leadership style, and my long-term vision. I am confident that I will be able to transition seamlessly into a role on Council because, through my attendance at Council’s weekly meetings, I have already learned the processes and procedures of local government. I will be able to get to work right away for the citizens of Kelowna, and I am eager to address the many challenges and opportunities which lie ahead for our community. To learn more about my platform and qualifications, please visit my website at www.kevincraig.ca or contact me directly by email (kevin@kevincraig.ca) or phone (250-448-1490). I encourage all residents to get informed, get engaged, and make sure you cast a ballot on November 28.