Kevin Craig - Council Candidate

[Kevin Craig]

I am blown away by the support I've been receiving on here and in the community throughout the campaign. I firmly believe that, if you are going to seek elected office, you have a responsibility to the voting public to be informed about the roles and responsibilities of the position you're running for, and the procedures and policies which shape your ability to enact change. Any elected official will tell you how difficult the first year is, as you learn the ins and outs of being in office. My hope is that, by being diligent over the last year and a half, I have made that learning curve shorter and less steep.

My favourite part of the campaign, without a doubt, has been engaging people in discussions about Kelowna's future and hearing all the different visions and approaches which exist in our community. If you have any questions, comments or advice, I'd love to hear it! Leave a message here, email me at [email protected] or hunt me down on Facebook (join the group Elect Kevin Craig to Kelowna City Council). You can phone me at 250-448-1490, but I cannot guarantee an answer during the day when I am in class at UBCO.

[BoyWondering]

Good for you Kevin! Bright young people like you and Angela Reid are just what this moribund City Council needs.

[Vincent Vega]

I didn't realize until today that this Kevin Craig is the same young man I saw speak at Okanagan Mission High School Grad cermonies a couple years back. He talked of political aspirations then. I was blown away by how bright, articulate and mature he seemed. I said then I would vote for him if he ever ran for council.

After reading all this and learning its the same guy, he definitely has my vote

[mechanic_virus]

Please list 5 of your top priorities, and how you would deal with each issue if it were completely up to you.

[Kevin Craig]

Please list 5 of your top priorities, and how you would deal with each issue if it were completely up to you.

Thanks for the question!

These are not ranked by importance - I'm not sure I could put one above any other. Also, I'm well aware that this is not a perfect proposal and there is always room for more research; I just wanted to provide the best possible overview of the areas in which I would like to show leadership as a Kelowna City Councillor.

1.) Increase the amount of affordable rental housing in Kelowna
-- Density bonusing in new developments
-- Add secondary suites and carriage houses to areas equipped to handle increased density
-- Partnerships with other levels of government and the private or non-profit sector (City of Kelowna could provide land, provincial and federal government could be lobbied for construction of a building, a non-profit group could oversee the building)

2.) Improve the transit system
-- Increase frequency of service; purchase fewer double deckers and instead focus on putting more single-level buses into action
-- Extend hours of service so people aren't left without a ride early in the morning or late at night
-- Look at options for transporting people from outlying areas onto main routes
-- Provide free busing at certain times or in important areas where the priority is to promote ridership rather than recover costs

3.) Attract more high-paying jobs to the city
-- Work with the Economic Development Commission to attract new industries to Kelowna - specifically high tech, environmental technology, and cultural (i.e. film) sectors - and foster expansion of local companies in leading edge industries (Flightcraft would be one example)
-- Partner with School Board and local post-secondary institutions to identify opportunities to tailor education towards these emerging fields
-- Attract more public and private sector funding for research initiatives at UBC Okanagan. It was such research that produced Research in Motion out in Ontario.

4.) Reduce the homelessness rate to zero
Note: Obviously this is something which will be achieved over the course of multiple terms
-- Integrate services such as mental health, alcohol and drug counselling with housing
-- Work with partners to address risk factors in youth - try to make our schools drug-free - so they are not ending up on the street
-- Provide affordable rental housing using the methods outlined in #1
-- Ensure a full continuum of care is in place so services can be provided throughout the duration of a person's treatment

5.) Make significant improvements to Council-resident communication
-- Increase use of online tools such as Facebook, Castanet, City of Kelowna website or similar
-- Host quarterly open houses in locations where many people can be reached: UBCO, seniors homes, Orchard Park, etc. Council should go to the public to identify priorities
-- Use the City website to promote involvement in local interest groups or residents associations and recognize their successes
-- Provide a formal structure for relations between neighbourhood associations and Council. My suggestion is a monthly meeting between at least 2 members of Council/the Mayor and a representative from each neighbourhood association

It's late, so please forgive any spelling errors or unfinished sentences. I'll look it over in the morning to ensure I wrote in coherent English.

Keep the questions coming!
Kev

[stanc]

I am voting for Kevin Craig. I met him at the College all-candidates meet and greet. He's caring, well-informed, and what really stands out--he's actively involved in the community already. A lot of the familiar names running haven't really any accomplishments or active engagement to boast about. Kevin does. He demonstrates to me that he's not in it just for the notoriety or the part-time job. This man will receive my vote for council.

[mechanic_virus]

Thank you, Kevin.

[dudlee]

There is a new US Senator just elected this month that is 23 years old.I think Kevin would have a great chance of getting in as a new mayor.

We don't need or want either of the Dingbats running to get in,do we?

[barrymor]

YOUTH! that is what we need on Council. Some who are presently representing us were much, much younger when they were first elected. Now is the time to invite a new group to the City Hall. (check nostoplitesonharvey in another discussion re. traffic)

[dudlee]

YOUTH! that is what we need on Council. Some who are presently representing us were much, much younger when they were first elected. Now is the time to invite a new group to the City Hall. (check nostoplitesonharvey in another discussion re. traffic)

Boo Yah ,totally agree .Kevin for MAYOR!!!!

[John Zeger]

Kevin, as you know I am also a candidate for city council, but the candidates are voters too and it is in the latter capacity that I am asking this question. You said that if elected to council you would not vote for the downtown CD Zone as it presently stands. What changes would have to occur to it before it would get your vote?

John Zeger

[Kevin Craig]

Kevin, as you know I am also a candidate for city council, but the candidates are voters too and it is in the latter capacity that I am asking this question. You said that if elected to council you would not vote for the downtown CD Zone as it presently stands. What changes would have to occur to it before it would get your vote?

John Zeger

Thank you for the question, John.

One of my biggest concerns with the CD 21 Zone is the location of a highrise hotel on the old Royal Trust site. While there is a net gain of parkland under this plan, the loss of a large portion of Kerry Park would be a large downgrade for the area. Throughout Kelowna's development over the last 100 years, public access to the lakeshore has been paramount. The waterfront is one of the things that makes this city such a great place to live, and I believe the proposed hotel would interfere with that. I recognize the benefits of a high-end hotel in the downtown, but do not support its currnet proposed location.

Secondly, I believe we can spread some of the density in the 4-block area of CD21 throughout the rest of downtown. I would have supported a review of the downtown plan before proceeding with any Comprehensive Development Zones, as we are setting precedents with the Lawrence/Leon area, but have not fully explored the ramifications of that development on the rest of the city core. I am highly in favour of densification of town centers, and believe we can make downtown a more livable, pedestrian-friendly, and vibrant place, but there is much more to downtown than 4 blocks.

A third component required for my support of CD21 would be a more comprehensive traffic study. We are looking to add several thousand units of housing to the downtown core. While this densification will certainly make more people use alternative transportation, we cannot simply assume that Kelowna will instantly become a more transit-oriented city and the new downtown residents will get rid of their automobiles. After Wednesday night's All Candidates Forum, I got caught in the gridlock caused by the post-Rockets game rush. Imagine that many cars in the downtown on a long-term basis. Furthermore, the high water table will make underground parking more complicated and cause more headaches than have been anticipated.

Finally, I would like to see better mechanisms for protecting heritage buildings. Kelowna began with Bernard Avenue, and we cannot simply build over top of our city's history. There are too many scenarios under the current plan where buildings of historical significance could be redeveloped without significant preservation of their heritage features. I would like to write the heritage protection measures into the zoning, rather than develop them after adoption.

Those are not necessarily in order of importance, but the hotel is definitely my number one issue.

Thank you for consideration,
Kevin

[John Zeger]

Kevin, you said you would have supported a review of the Downtown Plan before proceeding with the CD Zone. Do you think that this opportunity has been missed or would you still insist on such a review before giving final approval to CD21?

[dudlee]

Thanks for not making those stupid rabbits a big deal.Ya know they taste like chicken.What a joke, the people I talk to on the coast can't believe it's an election item.

Here's the cure, Rabbit chow down the center of Enterprise on a friday afternoon , then a street sweeper on Saturday morning. All done.

[Bsuds]

I think it is totally inappropriate for someone who is running for office to be asking questions of another who is running for the same position.
Sorry Mr. Z you won't get my vote, but Kevin might.