To the editor:
Amidst this controversy over the planned location of Tourism Kelowna’s pedestrian information centre, I looked up the definition of park, since Kelowna had bought the Queensway land in 2003 and designated it as such.
Two definitions for the noun popped up, in this order.
1) A large public green area in a town, used for recreation, and
2) An area devoted to a specified purpose, ie industrial or commercial park
We didn’t know, but when council says park, they talk number two.
Therein lies the confusion. We Kelowna residents see park number one, city officials wink, and see number two. And so when Mayor Basran erroneously thinks that a tourism association runs the tourism industry, and from a pedestrian information centre yet, well, you just know the Queensway waterfront had to become Tourism Kelowna Plaza.
To us, it is a pattern of deception. Council would have approved the first huge tourist centre proposal in City Park, wants to build on the beautiful waterfront land we all own at the foot of Cedar Avenue, and will surely develop the Lakeshore land we recently bought for $12 million, which we all think are designated a one.
So fellow Kelowna citizens, the next time we hear millions of our tax dollars are going to buy land for a park, remember it’s the same old number two.
Don Henderson, Kelowna
