Who was a better mayor?

[grammafreddy]

Didn't the merchants get the Liquidation World parking lot?

[gardengirl]

Didn't the merchants get the Liquidation World parking lot?

Only for a short time. That building is Original Joes.

[gardengirl]

What is truly unfortunate is that those were the only choices. It is not always easy to choose the lesser of two evils.

[EdCase]

My concern if that Wally and the rest of the FourChange gang were promoted as being able to 'get Kelowna moving again' by 'being open for business'. What radical new directions have they put forward in their first year? None.

This community is stagnating and needs fresh new thinking to revitalize itself. It's not a question as to who is the better Mayor but what is Wally going to do to deliver on his promises?

[kibbs]

Walter seems to have all business pull.this town was booming when he was mayor. Didn't he just land that deal with aa and develop a business relationship with arizona. The rules seemed to change when Sharon came in that slowed things down like cancelling wake fest.and speed bumps everywhere and whats up with all the painted electrical boxes was that important.I like the bike paths . She seemed to have more of a social agenda trying to please everyone.where as Walter seems to want to keep the developers happy.Its probably good that they take turns.Does anyone remember what kind of mayor Jim Stuart was I wasn't here then.

[grammafreddy]

The "painted" electrical boxes are actually a skin with pictures on them. They originally were an initiative by URBA (Uptown Rutland Business Assoc) to combat graffiti. Kelowna picked it up from there because it worked so well.

Cancelling Wakefest. C'mon, kibbs ... Wakefest cancelled itself.

Speed bumps slow down irresponsible and dangerous drivers. If there were none of those, we wouldn't be forced to tolerate the speed bumps.

The bike paths (when they are NOT part of the vehicular traffic) are nice.

The relationship with Arizona is a self-serving one ... Andre likes to go there to get away from Kelowna winters and play golf. A few "business trips" works, I guess.

I don't what this "aa deal" is you mentioned.

The former council (under Sharon) was not opposed to the developers - the developers pulled out of almost all the projects that council was ready to give final approval for. There are at least eight projects that I know of that council was going to approve but they were asked by the developers to hold off on the final approval because they had not presold enough units and if council had approved them they would have to start building in *I think* 60 or 90 days. The developers did not want to be that position when their units were not selling. You can't pin that one on council.

If you still think council under Sharon was anti-development, just have a look around the Cultural District and see what they did approve and what did get built (amongst others). There was also lots of development in the South Pandosy area.

If you are looking for any major structure in the Lawrence and Leon area, you will continue to be disappointed. Not Sharon nor Wally will be able to accomplish anything there if you are looking for high rise towers. They could build 20-storeys high anywhere on any parcel of land downtown prior to this new downtown plan and not one got built. There is a reason for that and council does not control it - the individual landowners do.

I was not here either when Jim Stuart was mayor and all I have to say about that is that the park named after him should have been named for Mr Simpson instead. IMO naming it Stuart Park was an intentional slam against Sharon Simpson and her protection of the covenant. Petty, petty.

[kibbs]

Speed bumps work but they are nasty they're must be a better way
I'm referring to the direct flights from California with american airlines
The war on graffiti is a waste of time and money it is an ancient form of artistic political and spiritual expression.We should study it and frame it not cover it.how often do your kids write to you anymore.Now they have a nice back drop. does paint not stick to these stickers.The laws that forced businesses to cover up or be fined seemed harsh.
I don't think anyone is to blame for the 08 crash in that office but when we could not tolerate the result of wakefest this town seemed to shrivel in spirit,and faded as a fun place to go. business hurt.
Maybe they are gettin some golf in but that's where deals are made .How was Sharons' game
My guts tell me that the way that they dealt with Sharon Simpson and her dads land was poorly done.The city does need the parking .I doubt they named the park after Jim just to spite her.
i still think you are awesome though granny i learning so much from you.

[Bpeep]

If Cal Condy was mayor, we would all be getting free hot dogs at the skating rink downtown.
Just sayin'.

[zoo]

NEITHER....

Both failed to plan any proper Road/ highway design to handle the present situation.
Both failed to clean up the Leon/Lawernce st. slum's.
#6 most dangerous city in Canada.
No parking for boaters and tourists.
Sorry, I believe a lot could and should have been done and find the level of their work and progress unacceptable.
Neither.

[kibbs]

cal seems cool
http://www.calformayor.com/vision-for-kelowna.html

[damngrumpy]

Sheapard was a better choice a city is made of more than just business and the social
aspects of a community is the soul of the community and we don't have much of a soul
left. We have a bunch of conservative people with very narrow interests that look after
their friends and to hell with everyone else.
I too agree with the Simpson Covenant it was a permanent arrangement that the community
signed onto.
The wharf or whatever stretching out into the lake I don't agree with either.

[Captain Awesome]

cal seems cool
http://www.calformayor.com/vision-for-kelowna.html

Yeah, he was a bit of a clown.

[The Rooster]

This town needs to stop electing mayors that treat this place like its Vancouver , your assets and revenues are restricted by the fact that the population is just 100,000 . First off having a city manager that makes over $200,000 is just ridiculous , we have a growing employment issue that is never really addressed . Part time jobs and limited full time jobs that are heavy to the union sector and constantly want more and more and more . Privately owned businesses need to be legit and not just fronts for grow ops , come on , there are more landscape companies here than there are per capita per 100,000 people .

If the grow op industry in BC was shut down , Kelowna would be a welfare state , so the governments need stop enabling it by not funding law enforcement and driving up living expenses .Loose morals and principles create nothing but Instability and an environment of corruption .
You want to stop the money going to covenant court fees , make the mayor stop by demanding or petitioning for a referendum to stop it , it's your town , not just a mayors . Usually deflections like this are to disguise some other corrupt illegally doings that we do not know anything about .

DO YOU WANT TO END UP LIKE QUEBEC.?

[kibbs]

sorry wrong 1.

[allisongray]

Walter Gray, because he actually seems to get some things done, rather than ENDLESSLY sending development and business related proposals back to commitee. Sheppard drove me INSANE doing that. Of course, anything that was linked to a progressive agenda got pushed through, no questions asked.

It always seemed as if she was trying to get some government-subsidized housing for low income people. But here's the thing: if you bring good employers to town who pay their employees well, then my goodness something crazy happens. People can actually afford to BUY THEIR OWN HOUSES!!! Oh, the horror! People who aren't dependant on the nanny state and can take care of themselves.

We don't need huge expensive social programs or government-subsidized housing for most people. A lot of low income people just need good jobs, and afterwards their need for a lot of these government agencies disappears. Don't get me wrong, we will always have the poor and we should care for them as they are our neighbours, but I don't think the government should be doing it. Charitable organizations and churches can do a much better job. Heck, neighbours can do a better job!

(Just for the record, up until a few months ago, my husband was working in the valley, we were low-to-modest income and struggled like crazy to make ends meet. He now has a very good job in Fort Mac that he loves and life is much easier now. Financial goals that seemed out of reach - like a house of our own - will now be feasible in 3-5 years. Working up north is not for everyone but we have a lot of support and it's a good fit for our family - apart from him being gone for two weeks at a time. However, I know he would work in Kelowna in a heartbeat if he could get a good-enough paying job.)