Growth in Downtown Kelowna and Parking

[Straight Shooter]

Has anyone stopped and wonder that the enormous growth taking place in the downtown area of this city that even with the number of parkades being built that we're creating another KGH nightmare? With more apartment/condos towers being built as high as 36 stories, street parking along Ellis, Manhattan Dr, Sunset Dr and others will be maxed out. Underground parking only fills part of the void because tenant parking is least of the worries for most developers and I would guess when it comes to city council also. There are times when I'm walking in the the evening down Ellis St. that I couldn't tell if there is a concert or Rockets game at Prospera place because people living in these condos/townhouses are parking on the streets that don't have any time limit. I would imagine that in the very near future that there will be a two hour time limit on this particular street and others in the city northend and thus another KGH nightmare. When will they ever learn?

[lightspeed]

Just another reason not to go downtown.

Dumpy, full of junkies, fleabags, juice monkeys, tough guys, and wannabes.

[Merry]

I have to agree that the level of development in Kelowna warrants a lot more attention being paid to where people are going to park in order to access that development. The Municipal Council seems to have overlooked this issue entirely.

[Lady tehMa]

It wouldn't be such an issue if we had a transit system that WORKS, but we don't. I work downtown, live in Rutland. If I could take transit, I would. Well, let me clarify. I can take transit. However, it would add an extra 3 hours on to my work day and I am simply not prepared to do that.

[spooker]

Just recently Council pushed back on a development that was asking for a lowering of the parking requirements ... https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/186833/prospera-parking-an-issue ... they aren't clueless

More condos do not necessarily mean that those residents will take up more precious on-street parking ... having properties that are so expensive that you have to have multiple roommates which then mean more vehicles is more to blame in my mind

Plus, the idea of densifying downtown can put more people in reach of all the necessities by foot or bicycle instead of needing to do everything by car ... obviating the need for more vehicles is the underlying purpose here ...

Yes, transit needs to be more accessible, absolutely ... many other cities have prioritized bus service to downtown so that people don't need to bring their cars and the parking would serve for the more transient traffic and turnover more often

We don't need "more", we need "smarter"

[RVThereYet]

It wouldn't be such an issue if we had a transit system that WORKS, but we don't. I work downtown, live in Rutland. If I could take transit, I would. Well, let me clarify. I can take transit. However, it would add an extra 3 hours on to my work day and I am simply not prepared to do that.

WOW! Don't take me wrong, I'm not saying it isn't true, but are you seriously saying that it takes 1.5 hours (approx.) each way to take a bus from Rutland to downtown and back - Total time = 3 hours? How much of that time is actually spend on the bus? If it takes you 45 minutes each way to walk to/from a bus stop that's one thing, but if you're within a reasonable walk (5-10 minutes?) from your nearest bus stop, it is ridiculous to take that long? I'm astonished! How can "they" expect you to take the bus? It would be way faster to ride a bike, , depending on where you have to go, you could almost walk that far in that time.

[Merry]

the idea of densifying downtown can put more people in reach of all the necessities by foot or bicycle instead of needing to do everything by car ... obviating the need for more vehicles is the underlying purpose here ...

I get that, but in a city that is attracting a lot of seniors, not all seniors can get around "by foot or by bicycle". Even young folks have a hard time carrying a heavy bag of groceries home by "foot or by bicycle", but for someone in their senior years that is virtually impossible.

It can also be tricky getting around on foot when winter weather makes the sidewalks very difficult to navigate. And for folks who want to take their kids to the beach, along with beach chairs, toys, picnic stuff etc. a vehicle is an absolute necessity. So, the bottom line is that we do still need adequate parking facilities, even when more folks live in the downtown core.

[GordonH]

Just recently Council pushed back on a development that was asking for a lowering of the parking requirements ... https://www.castanet.net/news/Kelowna/186833/prospera-parking-an-issue ... they aren't clueless

More condos do not necessarily mean that those residents will take up more precious on-street parking ... having properties that are so expensive that you have to have multiple roommates which then mean more vehicles is more to blame in my mind

Plus, the idea of densifying downtown can put more people in reach of all the necessities by foot or bicycle instead of needing to do everything by car ... obviating the need for more vehicles is the underlying purpose here ...

Yes, transit needs to be more accessible, absolutely ... many other cities have prioritized bus service to downtown so that people don't need to bring their cars and the parking would serve for the more transient traffic and turnover more often

We don't need "more", we need "smarter"

Since majority of condo development rarely have large visitor parking area, having a get together with more then couple people is out i.e Stanley Cup party, Grey Cup etc.... etc.
if more then few condo owners each have get togethers at same time, ouch on street parking.
What's the sense of having $500,000+ home and you can't entertain.

[TMBOkanagan]

Since majority of condo development rarely have large visitor parking area, having a get together with more then couple people is out i.e Stanley Cup party, Grey Cup etc.... etc.
if more then few condo owners each have get togethers at same time, ouch on street parking.
What's the sense of having $500,000+ home and you can't entertain.

Why not ask your guests to take a cab? Then they can have some drinks and get home safely without drinking and driving after the Grey Cup party!

[GordonH]

Since majority of condo development rarely have large visitor parking area, having a get together with more then couple people is out i.e Stanley Cup party, Grey Cup etc.... etc.
if more then few condo owners each have get togethers at same time, ouch on street parking.
What's the sense of having $500,000+ home and you can't entertain.

Why not ask your guests to take a cab? Then they can have some drinks and get home safely without drinking and driving after the Grey Cup party!

I don't live in any of downtown/northend condos, so they would not be any of my guests. Plus all of my family & friends know, I don't serve alcohol.
Maybe all residents of the downtown/northend condos do just that, what a payday for cab companies.
This is main reason I'd never buy one of those overpriced apartments.

[vegas1500]

Since majority of condo development rarely have large visitor parking area, having a get together with more then couple people is out i.e Stanley Cup party, Grey Cup etc.... etc.
if more then few condo owners each have get togethers at same time, ouch on street parking.
What's the sense of having $500,000+ home and you can't entertain.

Why not ask your guests to take a cab? Then they can have some drinks and get home safely without drinking and driving after the Grey Cup party!

I don't live in any of downtown/northend condos, so they would not be any of my guests. Plus all of my family & friends know, I don't serve alcohol.
Maybe all residents of the downtown/northend condos do just that, what a payday for cab companies.
This is main reason I'd never buy one of those overpriced apartments.

Wait.....family and friends don't serve alcohol?? What the Lol

[Lady tehMa]

WOW! Don't take me wrong, I'm not saying it isn't true, but are you seriously saying that it takes 1.5 hours (approx.) each way to take a bus from Rutland to downtown and back - Total time = 3 hours? How much of that time is actually spend on the bus? If it takes you 45 minutes each way to walk to/from a bus stop that's one thing, but if you're within a reasonable walk (5-10 minutes?) from your nearest bus stop, it is ridiculous to take that long? I'm astonished! How can "they" expect you to take the bus? It would be way faster to ride a bike, , depending on where you have to go, you could almost walk that far in that time.

It has to do with bus connections and missing them. I work out in the North End. It was just as bad when I worked out in North Glenmore. Some bus drivers are great about helping you make connections, others would rather feed you to wolves. >_> To get to my bus stop I either have to catch an early bus heading out to the end of Rutland, or do the walk to cross 33 at a crosswalk to catch an inbound bus. Depending on conditions, it could be a short walk or a painfully long one.

I'm also the mom of a family, and since I don't work proper full time hours, I'm the one who does all the shopping. I can usually get to what I need to on the way to work or way home. If I had to do it by bus? no!

As it is, I park at distance from my work so I don't have to pay for parking, but that may end. As it is some days my walk is 20 minutes to work (from the car). Some days it is 10.