Every weekend, the Capital News and Lake Country Calendar will highlight popular stories from the week.
1. The evolution of Kelowna from a small town to a growing city brings change—more traffic, more people, demand for more amenities.
Those issues all play a role in the city’s proposal to create the Capri Centre Landmark Urban Centre, which could help absorb the 40,000 to 50,000 new residents expected to move to Kelowna over the next 20 years.
The urban centre plan would create higher density residential housing, new amenities, such as parks and public transit improvements and high rises would all be built around the expanding Landmark Towers complex, giving the Capri Centre mall block a whole new look.
While the city is implementing the plan to try and get ahead of the population boom, land changes proposed under the Capri Landmark Urban Centre could leave several long-time area commercial building owners facing expropriation of their properties. Their tenants would then lose an affordable rent space to operate their small businesses.
READ MORE: City hall’s plans for a Kelowna neighbourhood could create significant issues
2. Expect smoky skies this weekend in the Okanagan.
The north, central and South Okanagan air quality levels were considered unhealthy Saturday, according to the Real-time Air Quality Index.
The smoke is really rolling in tonight. #Kelowna @Wibit_Sports #BCWildfires pic.twitter.com/OXJ0ub3ECe
— Deanna Bloomquist ☕ (@ddbloomquist) August 25, 2018
3. A cheeky letter writer decided to take a stand against anti-immigration letters this week.
It’s interesting that Canada, founded as a country of immigrants still engages in spitefulness and racism when it comes to asylum seekers, refugees and immigrants. Susan Rutherford (Readers passionate about asylum seekers, Capital News, Aug. 17) made a comment that asylum seekers are “taxing our democratic system to the bare bones,” he wrote.
READ MORE: Letter: Deport seniors instead of immigrants, they’re easier to catch
4. A new net zero development in Oyama has a few Lake Country councillors concerned.
Despite some concerns over losing tourism land, Lake Country council is sending proposed Official Community Plan and zoning bylaw changes that will allow a private marina and residential properties on an Oyama campground to a public hearing.
5. Who doesn’t love a good set of ribs?
The third annual Kelowna Ribfest is underway in City Park downtown.
The gates opened at noon Friday and despite the smoky skies, people started to line up to buy ribs from at the five “ribbers”—up from four last year— on hand for this year’s event.
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