Strategic Development Group

[arcsparks]

Hello , Who are the principals of this Group ? I was told a group of seven investors , NAMES ???? Why do they seem to be so involved in the politics of our community?
Why were they given $25 grand to try to influence a decision that they would profit from , Something sure doesn't really look transparent here.
Now we find out via the news that they have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in design and planning, Cart before the horse comes to mind here.

[gman313]

Hello , Who are the principals of this Group ? I was told a group of seven investors , NAMES ???? Why do they seem to be so involved in the politics of our community?
Why were they given $25 grand to try to influence a decision that they would profit from , Something sure doesn't really look transparent here.
Now we find out via the news that they have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in design and planning, Cart before the horse comes to mind here.

ya I thought the same thing. Funny in his quote he "acted in good faith" umm great, that is the cost of doing business and bidding on government contracts before they are approved.

[oneh2obabe]

Who is the private partner?

Strategic Development Group is a group of local stakeholders who will
develop the private sector portion of the West Kelowna Civic Centre
Project. Strategic Development Group’s Management

Team includes:

•Rob Moyor of Moyor Development Group (Managing Director)
•Keith Funk, New Town Services, (Planning and Design)
•Dan Scuka of Scuka Construction (Project Construction)
•WSP Group (Engineering Services)
•Sturgess Architecture (Architectural Services)
•Ken McLaughlin of McLaughlin Commercial Group (Commercial Real
Estate Marketing)..

[Pookybear]

Why is anything that involves taxpayer money not going out to bid? The tech centre in Kelowna is another one that didn't go out to bid even though some funds were from the government. Isn't right.

[Hassel99]

Why is anything that involves taxpayer money not going out to bid? The tech centre in Kelowna is another one that didn't go out to bid even though some funds were from the government. Isn't right.

Why do you think it did not go out to tender?

[oneh2obabe]

Likely, but location and parcel size had something to do with it. The four bidders invited to submit proposals from the "Request for Qualifications" that was issued back in early 2014 were:

* Town Centre Partners Group for its parcel of land it acquired for the purpose of the development at 3656 Brown Road (between The Heritage Retirement Residence and the old Canada Post depot now a preschool/daycare and is directly across from Whiski Jacks - this was my least favourite option for that reason, though I suspect price may have factored in to it as well)
* New Town Planning Services/Sturgess Group - 3641 Elliott Road (between Westridge Shopping Centre and the former offices of dentist Dr Kevin Andersen and now solely occupied by Peoples Pharmacy - this was the selected proponent and was my "second choice")
* Maple Reinders Group - 3717 Elliott Road (a vacant property and the building that was previously Western Financial Group that it acquired, which is why WFG moved out and the building sat vacant for a couple years, that it would've merged into the City's existing Operations Department parcel - this was my "top choice" based on its central location, though I later realized the parcel was likely too small and switched my choice to the 3641 Elliott Road site - Maple Reinders has either sold the vacant parcel/vacant building to a new owner or leased out the vacant building to Dolicious Donuts and Coffee in 2015)
* Total Concept Group - 2528 Main Street (the former Westwynd Village that is the former home to Lord Chumley's, Bob Bassett's very first former law office and Cattle Country and is now vacant and boarded up as well as the residential property at the corner of Main & Hebert that has an old yellow school bus parked in the yard and is currently leased out to a tenant by the property's current owner - this was my "second least favourite" option, mainly because of access, which would've been off of the one-way Main Street)

[Gem22]

Thank you for the information on the Group Management team. WHo are the principals of this group?

[forumdoug]

Thank you for the information on the Group Management team. WHo are the principals of this group?

Thanks for sharing that informating, TreeGuy! :)

Strategic Development Group either is an unincorporated entity to refer to the project group collectively or is likely structured as a limited partnership in which each of those listed companies (or their company owners) serve as "partners" in the limited partnership.

I think it's pretty clear. I didn't know WSP Global and Scuka Construction were involved on the engineering and construction sides, respectively. So basically, each one of the components in the group is a local company...the only one not is WSP Global. That should put to rest another "no" side lie that this is some out-of-province multinational firm. ;)

Cheers,
Doug

[Gem22]

I was glad too Doug to see all the developers were local and frankly I'd have expected it to be that way when city council were giving consideration to spending our tax $, those funds should stay in the local economy. However would there be a legal reason as to why we wouldn't be privy as to who the principals of that group are? Or are they just not wanting us to know! I see the question was asked a couple of times and seems to be being ignored.

[forumdoug]

I was glad too Doug to see all the developers were local and frankly I'd have expected it to be that way when city council were giving consideration to spending our tax $, those funds should stay in the local economy. However would there be a legal reason as to why we wouldn't be privy as to who the principals of that group are? Or are they just not wanting us to know! I see the question was asked a couple of times and seems to be being ignored.

I think it's been asked and answered. We know the companies involved in the bidding group and we know the controlling shareholder of each company. I'm not sure if he specific company principal was mentioned in the contract award, but the individual companies would been. If you really wanted to know, all you to do is ask. If they didn't respond, a Freedom of Information request would've solved this as would a corporate registry search for a small fee or, better yet, a quick Google search. ;)

Cheers,
Doug

[Gem22]

I don't think it's been answered, and if getting the information was as easy as doing a Google search then we wouldn't have to ask. We aren't asking for the controlling shareholder of the building management team, we know that info is already out there, we are interested in knowing who the principals are of Strategic Development Group.I don't understand why that information isn't more readily available. But if they aren't prepared to be forthcoming I get there's not much we can do about it unless we're prepared to spend some money to get the info. I didn't think we should have to, maybe naive of me!

[oneh2obabe]

TreeGuy answered that when he posted the companies involved and the person associated with each.

[Gem22]

No, that's the management team. Those are not the principals of Strategic Development Group.

[Coconut11]

Those people formed together to make the Strategic Development Group .To my knowledge it was a requirement to bid on the project. What are you getting at Gem22??

[Gem22]

I've been told by a very reliable source ...and no I will not breach something told me in confidence, that there are different principals than the people named in the Management team. That was the information I was looking for, obviously I'm not about to get it.