Westminster and Alberni

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livewire
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Westminster and Alberni

Post by livewire »

Next to Coast hotel, behind SOEC...and ball diamond....the chunk of land the city bought. They are digging it up, anyone know what's going on?
XT225
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by XT225 »

livewire wrote:Next to Coast hotel, behind SOEC...and ball diamond....the chunk of land the city bought. They are digging it up, anyone know what's going on?


"Paved Paradise and put up a Parking Lot". (I believe that's what it is supposed to be).
pentona
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by pentona »

livewire wrote:Next to Coast hotel, behind SOEC...and ball diamond....the chunk of land the city bought. They are digging it up, anyone know what's going on?


I don't believe that it has been stated, publicly, what is intended for that lot. Here is an exert from the Herald, back in October 2015: Monday, October 5, 2015

The City of Penticton has purchased the vacant property at 903 Vernon Avenue for $1.55 million, but won't say what it intends to do with the land.
Penticton City Council announced at the conclusion of Monday's meeting that it had voted, in camera, to purchase the lot from businessman Robin Agur.
Gerald Belisle
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by Gerald Belisle »

The Coast Hotel is expending and is finally breaking ground on the 4 or 5 lots they acquired a long time ago. The Jade Gardens restaurant was in the lot facing Westminster Ave and 3 or 4 smaller houses were on Vernon Ave.
southy
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by southy »

Source please.
XT225
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by XT225 »

I agree with Southy. Source, Please? Not sure how the Coast Hotel could build there; pretty sure that the city bought it and for the time being, had thought of using it for overflow parking, as the Casino was going to take up some of the present parking spaces.
Gerald Belisle
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by Gerald Belisle »

the source is me
just drive by and they have a big sign up.
it's not a big secret conspiracy, the land was bought and cleared years ago.
I lived in one of the demolished houses that were on Vernon Ave back in the late '80's (that doesn't make me any younger, thank you very much)
And I miss the Jade Gardens that had quality food day in and out
pentona
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by pentona »

Gerald Belisle wrote:the source is me
just drive by and they have a big sign up.
it's not a big secret conspiracy, the land was bought and cleared years ago.
I lived in one of the demolished houses that were on Vernon Ave back in the late '80's (that doesn't make me any younger, thank you very much)
And I miss the Jade Gardens that had quality food day in and out


Here is the entire article from the Herald article back in October 2015.


The City of Penticton has purchased the vacant property at 903 Vernon Avenue for $1.55 million, but won't say what it intends to do with the land.

Penticton City Council announced at the conclusion of Monday's meeting that it had voted, in camera, to purchase the lot from businessman Robin Agur.

The property, located near the corner of Westminster Avenue, was previously the site of Jade Gardens restaurant. Agur acquired the land in 2008, around the time the South Okanagan Events Centre was completed, in hopes of eventually building a hotel there.


In an April 2015 interview with The Herald, Agur said with the downturn in the economy there wasn't "market demand" to build a hotel. The lot has remained vacant since and is now used for SOEC overflow parking.


"It's a prime location for sports fields, new or replacement facilities for aging infrastructure, parking or other public amenities," Mayor Andrew Jakubeit said in a statement. "Although the future use is still to be determined, this acquisition boosts the inventory of City-owned land for opportunities that will or may arise in the future."


Earlier this year, the City issued a call for expressions of interest (EOIs) to potential hotel operators for land across the street at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. However, the project fell through when it was discovered a referendum would be required to build there.


Jakubeit would not state Monday whether the City's intention is to build a hotel on Vernon Avenue.


He appeared annoyed when asked by The Herald why council would commit $1.55 million of taxpayer money on speculation.


"When you plan a city it's not for one year, it's for five, 10, 15 years down the road," the mayor said. "It took a lot of work and money to acquire land for the (South Okanagan) Events Centre. It's a strategy and we may have the opportunity to expand."


There is also a rumour in the community that Lake City Casinos could be ending its long-standing relationship with the Penticton Lakeside Resort and is seeking an alternate venue, one which could potentially be on the Penticton Indian Reserve.


Jakubeit said the $1.55 million for the land purchase is coming from the City's land acquisition fund
Gerald Belisle
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by Gerald Belisle »

the property the article is referring to is located on the south side of Vernon Ave, is adjacent to the park and to my recollection didn't have any buildings on it.
The Jade Gardens wasn't on Vernon Ave and the house I lived in (no longer there) had an "even" address.
wouldn't be the 1st time an article is wrong.
I happened to go by yesterday and saw the big Coast Hotel sign that they just put up
pentona
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by pentona »

Gerald Belisle wrote:the property the article is referring to is located on the south side of Vernon Ave, is adjacent to the park and to my recollection didn't have any buildings on it.
The Jade Gardens wasn't on Vernon Ave and the house I lived in (no longer there) had an "even" address.
wouldn't be the 1st time an article is wrong.
I happened to go by yesterday and saw the big Coast Hotel sign that they just put up


Ok, you could be correct there, especially since you lived down that way; you know the area better than most of us. Good for the Coast Hotel; could be a good deal for them being so close to the Convention Centre and all.
livewire
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by livewire »

I believe the Coast sign is the old sign from when they renovated and just haven't removed it since the city bought the land. I bumped into an aquantance that works at the SOEC yesterday and quizzed him and he said it was going to be for parking. Mystery solved.
southy
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by southy »

I believe this confirms that it is a parking lot: http://www.penticton.ca/EN/meta/city-ne ... ences.html
XT225
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by XT225 »

southy wrote:I believe this confirms that it is a parking lot: http://www.penticton.ca/EN/meta/city-ne ... ences.html


Thanks for confirming what I thought, Southy. Will be a parking lot. I mean do we really think that the City would sell a property like that without advising the public or do anything that isn't fully transparent? (maybe don't answer that...lol).
twobits
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Re: Westminster and Alberni

Post by twobits »

Gerald Belisle wrote:And I miss the Jade Gardens that had quality food day in and out


OT but I'll chime in on that one. Best friggen sesame chicken and Wonton Soup east of Vancouver!!!
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