Is Kelowna Getting Better?

[P65]

Ah yes...It is much better here now that we have such a variety of restaurants and cafes…sidewalk cafes..wineries.

[Tack]

Now that Kelowna has some young people there is a great music scene for a city this size. Lots of good restaurants and cafes that didn't exist before. Tech business is up helping with jobs that will last into the future. Improvements to water and electricity along with highways (although we still have a lot of work for local roads). Kelowna has a great groups for any type of activity you're interested in. Lot's of people that run successful businesses including a big work from home population or small businesses.

There aren't downfalls but everywhere has experienced increased homelessness and drug use; this isn't unique to Kelowna. Increased traffic isn't a huge issue since it's still 100x better than the lower mainland or really any actual big city.

There's potential for Kelowna moving forward that hopefully the next mayor and council will help realize more efficiently. However to say that Kelowna is just a cesspool and garbage now is really downplaying the positives of this city. You can always move out of here instead of just complaining and being bitter all day!

[techrtr]

Ah yes...It is much better here now that we have such a variety of restaurants and cafes…sidewalk cafes..wineries.

I honestly don't understand why people think more wineries are a plus. I've been to two or three winery tours and will never go on another one because they're all basically the same. I was in Naramata a few weeks ago and there's that main road that's basically wall to wall wineries. I had to wonder how any of them stay in business - the competition must be brutal. There's only so much shelf space in liquor stores so some of these wineries must rely on walk in traffic to sell their product. I actually found it kind of comical - all of these wineries trying to entice people to stop in. A few for sale signs too - maybe some people realized that owning a winery isn't as romantic or lucrative as they thought it would be.

[techrtr]

A few random that come to mind:

Krafty Kitchen
Lakeside Dining
Latin Fiesta
Waterfront Bakery and Cafe
Mon Thong
Thai Terrace
The Bohemiam Cafe
Asian Pear Buffet
Naked Cafe

Just some good places I personally like.

Kelowna has always had some very good restaurants but the truly good ones always seem to close down after a few years or they start to make cheap, crappy food. I think it's because fine dining is expensive and takes care to prepare, and most people would still rather spend their money at places like Earl's, Cactus Club, or The Keg.

[Bsuds]

most people would still rather spend their money at places like Earl's, Cactus Club, or The Keg.

Too expensive,we go to C Lover's more often than all 3 of those combined.

[alanjh595]

Also Yamato and Ozeki are pretty good for Japanese.

I like both of those two places.

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

There have always been good restaurants here, and they wil, come and go ..
Always have..
Better not sure., less affordable I would say yes..

[voice of reason]

kelowna went to crap the day they closed the willow inn

[60-YEARS-in-Ktown]

"Now that we have some young people here "................ did you mean , now that there us some jobs and young people are starting to stay here ?
I remember when you could get an unskilled job at places like Western Star, when you were young and actually buy a house.
There is not much of that anymore..

[bob57]

Is Kelowna Getting Better? That question opens all kinds of comments as indicated. If one asks what is meant by "better"it becomes a subject of interpretation. Certainly many things have gotten better over the decades. The bridge has gotten better. The highway system has gotten better (irregardless whether it has not stayed ahead of growth), but it is better. The airport is better. Available shopping is better. Is Kelowna growth better? Of course it is. Growth is happening whether people like it or not. It has to.
In 1905(Kelowna Incorporation) with a population of 600, it is not out of the realm to think that some did not want growth/change then. As a species we don't like change. Most people like to be able to predict or see whats coming before issues affect them. People like calculated outcomes before they happen.It is natural. We don't like surprises. In the times we are in it is more relevant than ever before. Economics dictate ones survival. And so we like to see things stay where we have some control over our economic survival. It is almost an impossible balance to maintain. If one thinks about Kelownas transition over the decades and the increasing costs of everything, it has to be seen that things cannot stay the way they are. Infrastructure costs will always increase just like they have from 1905 to the present. The problem is the costs now today are exponential. It does not matter what it is, transportation, water, housing, health... if the population does not grow then those that remain will have to absorb that exponential growth just to be able to maintain it if that were possible. Kelowna residents have already been told that present property taxes are no where's enough to cover present and future costs. If we had our way and some how could stop change/growth would we be better for it? If those before us had the ability to stop change/growth would Kelowna be as it is today?

[mexi cali]

I'd like to share my take on how I see that Kelowna has evolved and become unrecognizable to me.

What a good post. You took me back. I still see it in my mind the way you described it. Wow. Thanks.

Send this to city hall.

Send it letters at Castanet. They might wave the word count because this is what everyone needs to remember if they lived it and read it if they didn't.

Thanks very much

[mexi cali]

The free enterprise system isn't about "creating legacies". It's about squeezing every nickel that you can out of all economic activity. Basic supply and demand. There's a small area of land in the valley that's suitable to live on. And grow fruit. The demand for that land is high because a lot of people want to buy houses here. Get rid of that ALR and open the town up for development on a larger scale. The demand is there. Let the free enterprise system do the job that God intended.

So this is gods fault?

[mexi cali]

Also Yamato and Ozeki are pretty good for Japanese.

I like both of those two places.

Spot the redundancy here.

[mexi cali]

kelowna went to crap the day they closed the willow inn

Please tell me you're joking.

[kgcayenne]

Kelowna has been seeking tourism and attracting the low-hanging fruit of recreational, seasonal people who come here and crap all over the place. Business and real economic anchors are gone. The largest employers are now Interior Health, SD#23, and mayyyyyyyybe KF Aerospace.