Monaco is no go.

[36Drew]

Sorry to tell you that mill is not going anywhere anytime soon. Tolko has a excellent setup especially using the lake as storage, plus a contract with Fortis to supply with power not used by the mill. From the generation plant onsite.

Nor should it. The city of Kelowna has an incredibly poor industrial base. The last thing pundits should be doing is trying to punt the last vestiges of industry from the city.

[GordonH]

^^^ Exactly

[Swoop]

...agreed - this valley cannot survive on wine and golf...in fact, all current indicators show that golf is in a serious downturn...

[LoneWolf_53]

*removed*

North end or whatever you want to call it is downtown unless you are still living in the 70's. There is no sawmill in downtown Toronto just like there hasn't been one in Downtown Vancouver since before Expo 86.....Lol.

No need to get snarky just because you've been called on a blatant error.

Toronto has a Robin Hood mill down close to the lakeshore, not to mention a CN yard, and host of other business viewed as industrial, a few of which are far bigger than the sawmill here.

Saskatoon is another one that has a flour mill about two blocks from downtown.

I'm fairly certain that Vancouver has sea ports in its downtown area, something that also qualifies as industrial use.

You need to get out more.

[oneh2obabe]

Is recess over yet? Any further condescending, rude, or snide remarks will be removed w/o explanation. Same goes for off-topic comments.

[Eyeswideopen]

No need to get snarky just because you've been called on a blatant error.

Toronto has a Robin Hood mill down close to the lakeshore, not to mention a CN yard, and host of other business viewed as industrial, a few of which are far bigger than the sawmill here.

Saskatoon is another one that has a flour mill about two blocks from downtown.

I'm fairly certain that Vancouver has sea ports in its downtown area, something that also qualifies as industrial use.

You need to get out more.

You aren't seriously going to try to compare Toronto to Kelowna are you? LOL!

Ok fine we can have all those things downtown too...oh and don't forget several MILLION more people, mulitple freeways going into downtown, commuter trains, subways. At least that is what I have heard they have in them fancy cities like Toronto from them fancy city folk type people.

[Swoop]

...I think there's a comprehension issue here...no one was comparing K-Town to Hog-Town...you stated:

North end or whatever you want to call it is downtown unless you are still living in the 70's. There is no sawmill in downtown Toronto just like there hasn't been one in Downtown Vancouver since before Expo 86.....Lol.

...the reply was merely pointing out that yet again, you were wrong...and yet again, rather than acknowledging your mistake - you go on the offensive and attempt to discredit factual information with your condescending remarks...maybe just man-up and admit you're wrong once in awhile - rather than this constant side-step crap...

[Hassel99]

You aren't seriously going to try to compare Toronto to Kelowna are you? LOL!

Ok fine we can have all those things downtown too...oh and don't forget several MILLION more people, mulitple freeways going into downtown, commuter trains, subways. At least that is what I have heard they have in them fancy cities like Toronto from them fancy city folk type people.

/facepalm



Are you not entertained?.. I sure am.

[heath15]

http://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/140236/Monaco-not-dead-yet

...or maybe it is still alive; or not!

The quote form the City is correct; this is a small town and it is difficult to get financing on a project of this scope. Add in the economic uncertainty right now and the market for this kind of development looks increasingly shaky.

This story today with the quotes from the developer, pretty much in line with how they were described in the first story yesterday ... that was about saying they will do this and that, when reality is nothing gets done, just stringing it along and buying time. Now supposedly trying to get the financing together before someone else puts an offer in on the land through the court sale!

Other projects, nothing started on the resurrection of the Lucaya property either, though it announced at the end of January. Guess the Manhattan drive project is probably on indefinite hold. And the Westcorp project moving slowly. Maybe too many big projects trying to get going at the same time again.

The sawmill is certainly on prime real estate for more housing and waterfront towers but assume that will be awhile (years) yet, or whenever the logs they are harvesting get to be too far away to keep the Kelowna mill profitable.

[36Drew]

You aren't seriously going to try to compare Toronto to Kelowna are you? LOL!

You're the one the made the comparison. Somebody else has already re-quoted so no point in rehashing your mistake - save to point out that yet again you are absolutely wrong.

Ok fine we can have all those things downtown too...oh and don't forget several MILLION more people, mulitple freeways going into downtown, commuter trains, subways. At least that is what I have heard they have in them fancy cities like Toronto from them fancy city folk type people.

...and then you pose a strawman diatribe because you simply cannot admit that you were wrong.

So - you want the sawmill (which was there first, btw) to go. You want to get rid of one of the last vestiges of real industry from Kelowna. To what end? As has already been pointed out to you, larger urban bases can have industrial, commercial, and residential in rather close quarters in what one would consider to be "downtown". That mix provides a strong tax base so that you, the lowly tax payer, can a lower residential tax rate. That industry also provides decent-paying jobs to its employees, some of whom would hopefully spend their after-tax discretionary income at whichever burger joint it is that you work at, thus directly contributing to your own employment.

[Eyeswideopen]

Yes that waterfront property is very valuable. Just quadruple the sawmills taxes. That should be enough incentive to get them to move.

Also that cement plant needs to go. Makes a lot of noise during weekdays and every year there are more and more condos around there. Time for the city to grow up. More development downtown to get people living and working downtown and not having to drive and less building of houses further and further up the mountainside.

[GordonH]

^^^ Good idea get rid of all of blue collar jobs from north-end of Kelowna. So where should they move to north end industrial area to (Mill, cement plant, Sun-rype & machine shops etc.... etc).

Oh then move in all those new white collars jobs, that will need condo's to live in. Oh what a perfect world.
I wish you much success in making this happen Eyeswideopen.

[Eyeswideopen]

^^^ Good idea get rid of all of blue collar jobs from north-end of Kelowna. So where should they move to north end industrial area to (Mill, cement plant, Sun-rype & machine shops etc.... etc).

Oh then move in all those new white collars jobs, that will need condo's to live in. Oh what a perfect world.
I wish you much success in making this happen Eyeswideopen.

Has nothing to do with getting rid of jobs. If those jobs go away it won't be because the location changes by a few miles. You can continue to have that heavy industry where it is and let downtown continue to rot away like it is now or you can make the area more appealing to developers and people considering living down there. Simple choice.

By clinging to the past you end up with this suburban sprawl we have now which results in more traffic and more of those ugly developments building up the mountainside. Urban planners know that this 1960s idea of living in suburbs and commuting downtown is a total complete failure. On top of that Kelowna is in a valley so it doesn't have anywhere to grow except further and further up the mountainsides. Kelowna needs to grow up and start thinking like a big city instead of clinging to this idea that it's still a small town.

[GordonH]

Lets see how is the high-raise buildings doing:
● One down by Waterscapes dead
● Monaco dead
● Hotel at old Willow location going at snails pace
● SOPA new owners not much happening

[zerograv]

Lets see how is the high-raise buildings doing:
● One down by Waterscapes dead New owners, takes time to redesign
● Monaco dead Not according to developer
● Hotel at old Willow location going at snails pace Not anticipated to be ramped up for at least a few more months
● SOPA new owners not much happening Greyback is finishing deficiencies while the towers are being redesigned, Showhome expected to be finished soon and first phase units are already for sale.