Bridge / lights to nowhere

[sku]

Is the city of penticton really going to activate the lights on the bridge that literally does not have a road on the other side of it? Stop the flow of traffic on hwy 97? For what? A dog walker? Not sure if you are even allowed on the path on the other side anymore. This bridge is such a waste of time. Yes we get access to fresh (native) land, but all of our malls have many vacancies and should be filled first. For decades people could turn onto the channel parkway from green avenue without a light, but now we are stopping a major artery of a highway for no reason. No car will be coming or going to nowhere. We are not getting a Costco, or any big desired retailer. We are a small town that has had a population of 35K that really hasn't changed in the 30 years I've lived here. Malls are a thing of the past, online shopping is replacing them. But I'm glad I will be stopped on my way to work daily, for NOTHING.

[Bunnyhop]

Why blame the City of Penticton?

[ToddT]

Despite its pitfalls I think the new intersection looks pretty sharp. Definitely safer looking than the one at Fairview.

[mrmagoo]

It must be terrible to have another traffic light to contend with. Grueling in fact. I don't know when the lights will be activated but I do know that the city did not pay for the bridge, PIB did. It seems clear from your facts that the only thing possible to do on these lands is a doomed to fail strip mall. Stupid developers who are putting their money on the line could learn a thing or two.

[sku]

First of all I never said penticton paid for the bridge. I asked if the city was using the lights before there was a road to drive on for the lights. ( and I guess I'm an idiot for assuming the city had control of the lights within their own city boundaries? )
Pretty sure the bridge was federal as it involves water. (And as was reported on castanet a few months back)
Second I never said a bunch of strip malls. I said existing retail business opportunities are very available without construction of new buildings. I did say Costco and any other big stores won't be coming as we do not have the numbers for it. Let me clarify. I think it will be another liquor store, a grow op, maybe another dollerama, and more storage locker units. All things we have an over abundance of. I'm sure developers are salivating at the land. Good luck finding long lasting tenants.

[ToddT]

well not with that negative Nancy attitude!

[Tony]

Is the city of penticton really going to activate the lights on the bridge that literally does not have a road on the other side of it? Stop the flow of traffic on hwy 97? For what? A dog walker? Not sure if you are even allowed on the path on the other side anymore. This bridge is such a waste of time. Yes we get access to fresh (native) land, but all of our malls have many vacancies and should be filled first. For decades people could turn onto the channel parkway from green avenue without a light, but now we are stopping a major artery of a highway for no reason. No car will be coming or going to nowhere. We are not getting a Costco, or any big desired retailer. We are a small town that has had a population of 35K that really hasn't changed in the 30 years I've lived here. Malls are a thing of the past, online shopping is replacing them. But I'm glad I will be stopped on my way to work daily, for NOTHING.

That's devastating to think that you might be delayed in your day by 2 minutes or less. Just curious - do you run the lights that are 2 km down the road at Fairview?

It's a pretty minor thing, and it gives way better access from Green onto the Channel Parkway. Wasn't really in favour when they started, but now they're here, not a big deal. I'll leave my house 2 minutes earlier.

[Ekalahaks]

We live in such an "Instant Gratification" time in the world and society. If things aren't 100%/FULLY/COMPLETELY/NO EXCEPTIONS accomplished in record speed (That speed seems always to be infinitely different - relative to each individual's own opinion) or immediately meet the precise merits and checklist of expectations (Again, that seem to always be infinitely different - relative to each individual's own opinion), then all of a sudden the floodgates of dissatisfaction, disappointment, blame and shame open wide... rarely is it ever a positive reaction... We tend to be a culture where no one gets the benefit of the doubt, because we are constantly fed images and stories of corruption and unkindness. We give people nanoseconds to prove themselves and before ever getting that chance, so many things are discarded. It takes a strong heart to trust others intentions. I just think we sometimes don't wait long enough to let that happen.

The entitlement that some people seem to feel when something does not appeal to their own needs or thoughts, that it is immediately "wrong" seems to uncover a more troubling problem. The lack of faith and goodwill out there.

I am not talking about faith in a higher power...I am sticking just to the "faith in your fellow human" right now. God knows we need more of it these days (yes, pun intended)

Why are so many so quick to jump on people/organizations for trying something "new" or developing their ideas, plans and hopes? Not everybody in business is corrupt and filled with blind greed... In fact the majority of humans just want to make things better... but the media and social sites like this tend to attract the speculators in many more numbers than the "faithful" it seems.

I wish to register myself in the "faithful" category today. I wish this particular "big picture" endeavor success no matter what it will eventually look like because I believe there are more good people trying to make a difference and do something worthwhile than there are people just wasting time and money. It won't happen over night.

It is not a "bridge to nowhere"... It is a bridge in its truest form. A symbol of future intentions. A tool to make things move forward. Without it, the momentum of this idea, the goal, the dream just won't happen. It had to start with the bridge - without it, then this whole this idea would go nowhere.

I applaud those that are mindful enough to act on their dreams and goals and, until they prove me otherwise, I have faith in them to do a good thing with this particular project.

[Madhue]

this is how I narrated the OP comment... Made more sense.

Is the city of penticton really going to activate the lights on the bridge that literally does not have a road on the other side of it? Stop the flow of traffic on hwy 97? For what? A dog walker? Not sure if you are even allowed on the path on the other side anymore. This bridge is such a waste of time. Yes we get access to fresh (native) land, but all of our malls have many vacancies and should be filled first. For decades people could turn onto the channel parkway from green avenue without a light, but now we are stopping a major artery of a highway for no reason. No car will be coming or going to nowhere. We are not getting a Costco, or any big desired retailer. We are a small town that has had a population of 35K that really hasn't changed in the 30 years I've lived here. Malls are a thing of the past, online shopping is replacing them. But I'm glad I will be stopped on my way to work daily, for NOTHING.

Things that have changed in the past 30 years....

Landmark Cinema
Rona
Kia dealership
Honda
Village by the Station
Andrew Sherrit
Walmart
Whole strip mall development by Tbones and Star-yucks
... We lost blockbuster :(

I can figure why people complain like somehow they are entitled to development that makes them happy... These are business ventures. You build infrastructure and lure customers. It's a risk, but that how growth happens. Penticton has been primed to grow for decades, but backwater fools keep blocking it.

[twobits]

but I do know that the city did not pay for the bridge, PIB did.

The PIB paid for it? How bout you look into the money trail and tell us what percentage the PIB contributed.

Just a few years ago Dave Kampe proposed a development up on West Bench lands he owns. It was a sound development plan and if anyone knows Dave Kampe and his commitment and generosity to this community as well as his success in making projects that work, would understand that he is neither a dreamer or user of other peoples money. Our local government's response was OK except you will have to build a new bridge to West Bench to handle the traffic your proposal will create.

Bridges cost millions so he had to withdraw. Where was the Gov't money then for a bridge? Seems kinda funny to me that taxpayers can pay to build a bridge to a cow pasture that to date no one has shown much interest in yet a fully funded and ready to go project gets kyboshed cuz it requires a new bridge to replace the one that is already there.

Dave is probably looking at this new Green Ave bridge and thinking if he ceded the lands for his proposed deveopment to the PIB reserve, would the Gov't pay for the new bridge?

[mrmagoo]

I have looked into the "money trail" - have you?

All municipalities and First Nations in BC are able to apply for grants for projects such as bridges. The federal government contributed $3 million to help fund the $7.9 million dollar project. My understanding is that PIB funded or financed the remaining 4.9 million. Grants can sometimes be obtained when the overall benefits to the wider region are projected to be there to justify the federal expenditure - such as in this case.

As for Dave Kampe, he is a private individual and is ineligible for municipal-style grants. The project would have to generate enough property tax revenues for the RDOS to go into debt for it My guess is that this is not the case.

We don't use taxpayer money to enrich a private individuals through infrastructure projects. There has to be a sound business case as to how a development will pay back infrastructure costs or, more frequently, the developer has to pay all or part of the cost of the infrastructure - particularly a bridge.

Makes sense to me.

[mrmagoo]

Pretty sure the bridge was federal as it involves water. (And as was reported on castanet a few months back)
.... Let me clarify. I think it will be another liquor store, a grow op, maybe another dollerama, and more storage locker units. All things we have an over abundance of. I'm sure developers are salivating at the land. Good luck finding long lasting tenants.

Yeah - what was actually announced on castanet - over a year ago - was that the federal government would contribute 2.4 million to the 7.9 million dollar project and that they had already contributed 500k.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Penticton/ ... ton-bridge

While I'm sure PIB wishes the federal government owned the bridge and was responsible for maintenance going forward, the bridge is owned by PIB.

Your armchair knowledge of development is astonishing.

[mrmagoo]

I guess I'm an idiot for assuming the city had control of the lights within their own city boundaries? .

Kind of. The highway is provincially owned. It doesn't belong to the city.

[jamapple]

Kind of. The highway is provincially owned. It doesn't belong to the city.

You seem to be the only smart one on here. Everyone is dumb. Can you tell us dummies how long after the bridge is done, this new shopping metropolis will take shape? I'd venture to guess, but don't want to come across as being stupid.
Thanks!

[mrmagoo]

You seem to be the only smart one on here. Everyone is dumb. Can you tell us dummies how long after the bridge is done, this new shopping metropolis will take shape? I'd venture to guess, but don't want to come across as being stupid.
Thanks!

I have no idea. I don't have any information about that. Sounds like you don't either unless your venture to guess is backed up with factual information from a credible source.

As for "being the only smart one on here", that is a good way to dismiss/denigrate. I can see how my posts come across that way to some, and perhaps not fair to respond to someone who asks if they are stupid for opining something they believe to be true that turns out to be incorrect. It wasn't a stupid assumption, I can see how someone might feel free to make it, but a google search about ownership of the highway would have told her that it was provincial. She could have also just asked if anyone knew about the ownership of the lights rather than making an assumption.

I do find it annoying when people don't research and post opinions as fact - normally attributing some negative spin on things. Particularly when those opinions may influence others reading the posts to believe that there is, for example, some conspiracy going on in municipal politics, or that PIB has receive some undeserved windfall, or that the world is a terrible place with people out to get them.

In my experience, the truth is far less dramatic than what people feel free to post. Most people are pretty good and trying to do good. I'll never understand why people do actually feel free to post negative opinion statements based on their own "impressions".

In the age where you can google anything I'm not sure what the excuse is for not researching prior to posting.

Also in my experience the majority of people who run for municipal politics are wanting to give back to their community. There are those with inflated egos and some with personal agendas, but the good ones get tarred and feathered by the outliers which I really hate to see happening in social media.

I think what you see over time with Council is that fewer qualified and dedicated people will run because of the slander and backlash that the complainers without research bring to their job. I'm quite concerned about that. I'm pretty sure it already happens to a certain degree - I wouldn't run for municipal politics because of it.

An anonymous person with access to the internet can create some pretty ugly rumours. At the same time I do agree that this forum creates a valuable space to ask questions or provide informed opinions and advance the dialogue on something. Lots of posters have made good points and have information that is credible and not otherwise available.

Before you post about something you don't know anything about but have some opinion on, how about you google it and read a few articles? Maybe even look at the OCP and the bylaws. Try to understand how municipal politics work. Maybe even read the handbook for municipal councilors. Google principles of land development, Trio... garbage cans.. whatever. Then post an opinion. Or ask questions about these things first here rather than going straight to uninformed opinions that defame Council, developers or others in general.