Kevin on Kelowna Musings from a political mind

Tonight, I’ll be making my first trip back to Council Chambers as a member of the public to speak in favour of a very worthwhile project. A Public Hearing is taking place to decide the fate of Collett Manor.

Collett Manor is a 4-storey mixed-use development that incorporates residential units, short-term rentals for people undergoing treatment at KGH and their families, and office space for medical or health-related endeavours. I supported this while on Council and will be heading to the meeting to speak in favour for a few reasons:

1) Fills a gap. As KGH has grown, it has become more and more obvious that this is no longer simply a Kelowna facility. Our hospital, as well as the cancer lodge, serve the entire Southern Interior, and patients who have to come to Kelowna for treatment have limited options for accommodation. For many, the only option is living out of a hotel or motel for weeks or months. The provision of short-term rental units will meet a huge unfilled need in our community.

2) Kickstart a Health District. I’m not a city planner. I have no formal training in urban design. Fortunately, I was born with an ounce or two of common sense, and it would seem entirely logical to me to build a health district around the hospital. Health-related retailers, doctors offices, and similar businesses could be clustered together in this neighbourhood, reducing the number of vehicle trips throughout the city for those receiving treatment at KGH.

3) Balance out a vocal minority. A major reason I’m attending the meeting in person is that this project has city-wide and regional benefits, but if the only people to turn up are neighbours unsatisfied with the situation around KGH, Council may not get an accurate picture of public perception. Residents of the hospital area have struggled with traffic and parking issues during the recent construction, and some have opposed this project because they feel it would worsen matters. While I recognize that there are valid issues, it is important to recognize that action is underway to address them, and striking down this project for another site’s failings would be foolish in my books.

I encourage people to check out the Collett Manor website, and if it’s something you want to see for your community, why not come down to City Hall at 6PM and voice your support?