Bargain Shop sells...

[Hmmm]

^^^ you're welcome to figure it out yourself.

[jasond_71]

High rises close to town allow for reduced traffic and less sprawl. Otherwise houses will keep being built towards airport and big white and traffic congestion will increase. Affordable housing should be built where land is more affordable.
As for the demise of strip joints that is an entirely different topic:)

[dle]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-206331-1-.htm#206331

Good news is: the Bargain Shop has been sold and will be turned into something other than a dead shell of a building (finally!)

Crappy news IMHO is: Kelowna is supposedly getting yet another highrise of 26 stories on the property. Will it be affordable housing? Probably not.

The great news is: At least it is away from the lake!

I'm curious why should a 26 story highrise with a 5 minute walk to the beach in one of the most desirable cities to holiday/live in, in Canada be affordable anyways? You want affordable housing? I agree there needs to be some, but how about in Rutland or Springvalley area, or in the foothills where housing is already a bit cheaper? I know downtowns are usually targeted for these things, but ours is prime real estate and I for one, would love to live cheap right by the beach, but that's not reality. Btw, I actually live 2 minutes from one of the best beaches, but it ain't cheap is all I'm saying.

I can see several reasons why we need affordable housing downtown. Elderly people need walkability to the stores and the parks. Young people who like the nightlife and are just starting out need affordable housing and some are trying to be green and not have cars. They want to be able to walk to the beaches, shops, dining etc. Not every new building in Kelowna's downtown "area" needs to now be a skyrise. I get the City is trying for "density" but they've got to tell developers to build affordable housing, and that means maybe 10-12 stories instead of 26-32. Contrary to what City Hall must believe, and perhaps you, not everyone who lives in Kelowna is an NHL hockey player, or other equally deep-pocketed person. The Prospera end of town is really beautiful and they have fit the highrises into a great plan there and that's the area I think should be developed further in line with what they already have going on in the high-end zone. There is nothing about the Bertram area of Bernard Avenue that says "highrise" to me. It's the wrong area to do that. I have the same feeling about the Ella going up where it will be as it's not in keeping with the efforts others have made at revitalization of that area. Kelowna is losing its charm and uniqueness with the future looking like a mini-Vancouver. There are a lot of people who want to live in our downtown who aren't homeless, unemployed, drug addicts, mentally unstable etc, but are younger, well employed, working their way up, but not making the whopping salaries needed to support life in one of the proposed skyrises who need housing that is affordable.

It just seems to me that City Hall isn't even looking at any developments that aren't highrises for the downtown and I think that will end Kelowna's charm and we will end up with something nobody really likes but once it's there you can't say oops and change it. The uniqueness is why people moved here in a lot of cases years ago in the first place. Some of those people are now supporting highrise type buildings that weren't here then but perhaps once it is full of highrises, along with our completely dysfunctional road infrastructure, they will get antsy and say we need to find somewhere else to live that isn't so much of a rat-race and has a little more charm!

[Hmmm]

^^^^ what does the fact that people could benefit from affordable housing have to do with it being built? There are things way to numerous to mention that many people need, but guess what ? Nobody's going to give it to them. There should be places that people can afford to live and I don't disagree with you but a brand new high rise 5 min walk to the beach, isn't needed and it will never be built. Live within your means and be happy with what ya got.

[Even Steven]

If you want affordable move to Armstrong.

You can't live in a nice city AND have affordable housing. You have to pick one.

[W105]

why can't a city have affordable housing ?? where should the min wage earners live ?? where should seniors (on fixed incomes) and those on disability live ?? where should students live ??

please explain why there should no affordable housing in Kelowna besides saying it's a nice city...

[Hmmm]

why can't a city have affordable housing ?? where should the min wage earners live ?? where should seniors (on fixed incomes) and those on disability live ?? where should students live ??

please explain why there should no affordable housing in Kelowna besides saying it's a nice city...

There should be affordable housing here. Not a brand new high rise next to the amazing lake is all. Not ever.

[TylerM4]

why can't a city have affordable housing ?? where should the min wage earners live ?? where should seniors (on fixed incomes) and those on disability live ?? where should students live ??

please explain why there should no affordable housing in Kelowna besides saying it's a nice city...

NIMBY that's why. Nobody wants to live next to a low cost development that will eventually turn into a slum.

[LTD]

and nobody wants to build something on expensive land to turn around and get half the return that they could get on it

[GreyGoose]

Now if they could only sell the A&B Sound eyesore..

[gman313]

Now if they could only sell the A&B Sound eyesore..

Hey Spirit Halloween is in there- my favorite store!

[ranger49]

I rent downtown, in a one bedroom condo with no dishwasher or washer/dryer. I pay $2000 per month! Love it here.

It's so self entitled to think that someone else should pay for your house so you can live in an desirable place.

Earn your way.

[dle]

I rent downtown, in a one bedroom condo with no dishwasher or washer/dryer. I pay $2000 per month! Love it here.

It's so self entitled to think that someone else should pay for your house so you can live in an desirable place.

Earn your way.

How very fortunate you are Ranger49 - count your blessings instead of saying others are "self-entitled" - not many people who are truly "earning their way" could afford that for a one bedroom, and IMHO that is a ridiculous amount of money to pay for that but to each their own.

[W105]

gotta agree idle...that rent for that is nothing to brag about..

might as well buy something..

if anybody went shopping today or got food or a drink etc...all those people who served you most likely make min wage..would you rather not have them around ?? would you rather have TWF's instead ??

and why would we want Kelowna to turn into a mini Vancouver when we've seen Vancouver implode on itself in the last decade ??

every thriving city needs diversity...and business owners need workers..

[ranger49]

I lived in a basement in Rutland for many years.The point is, we all have to make sacrifices. Paying high rent for little space and less conveniences is a sacrifice I chose to live the lifestyle that I want. I wouldn't ask someone else to pay for my lifestyle.

I'm all for affordable housing. However it should develop naturally within the limits of our economy; not from the tax payers dime.

Developers build and the market will set the price.