To the editor:
For it’s next mayor, Kelowna needs the energy, enthusiasm, professionalism, kindness and straight forward shooting that Councillor Colin Basran possesses.
Over the last few years, Colin Basran has been a councillor for the City of Kelowna. We have watched and been part of his enthusiasm and very real passion for the development and sustainability of Kelowna.
My daughter, Kate Morgan, a big fan of Colin’s, has a retail business on Ellis Street in Kelowna. She has been part of the downtown business community for nine years. She first opened Posh nine years ago on Pandosy Street, a rental property. We watched over the next five years as the downtown area fell into decay, and countless proposals for developing the area were turned down by the then council. Four years ago she moved her business to the Madison. Over the last three to four years we have watched progress slowly come to the downtown.
Bernard Avenue is now finally completed and looks and feels better than it did before. Just very recently the trucks have disappeared from Ellis Street (the Cultural District), thank goodness. The new Yacht Club and the inclusion of the Cactus Club within the Yacht Club is wonderful. The Innovation Centre being built next to the Library and the Interior Health building at the corner of Ellis and Doyle will be started soon. Also, let us not forget the Westcorp Development that was approved by council this August 2014 for a hotel, restaurants, boutiques etc. which will be started in spring next year with completion in 2017. Kelowna really needs this high-end hotel. This will be built on the corner of Queensway and Mill Street. This is a very stark reminder that this all happened in the last three years.
As we are local business owners we realize it is extremely important to have a vibrant downtown area where people will live, work, play and support their local retail businesses.
Colin has been very supportive of all of these changes and has kept us informed all the way through, he comes in to Posh regularly to have a chat and see how we are doing. But most importantly he has encouraged us to be patient and supportive and change will happen. Because we have been so patient it has been hard, but we have seen the changes that had been promised coming to fruition, and its exciting. We support Colin because he’s young and energetic and he will take Kelowna into the vibrant future.
Kate, Duncan and Jane Morgan, Kelowna
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To the editor:
I have heard it said, that the true character of a man (woman) can be measured by their words and actions.
On October 22, on the steps of our Kelowna City Hall, Colin Basran, read a proclamation, proclaiming Kelowna to be a city of inclusion. Following that he joined hands with others, in a show of solidarity (persons of diversabilities) and those who supported this proclamation (family, friends, support workers, along with Sharon Shepherd and Mike Harcourt).
Shortly afterwards Colin Basran accepted an invitation to a mayoral debate/forum knowing that other candidates for mayor were being excluded. and he attended said forum. Apparently, only those that the “hosts” deemed “worthy,” were invited. Was it truly a question of space at the table or a shortage of food to go around? (Obviously not, as the hosts set the table for the media).
This has bothered me ever since and I have struggled to understand why on one day one can speak the words of “inclusion” and the next day accept the actions of “exclusion”. How could an organization not see that their actions were exclusionary? Have we as a society really come as far as we’d like to think we have come?
Not wanting to sound holier than thou, I am just trying to make sense of things. Wouldn’t have this been an opportunity to make a stand for a principle on which he had just so publicly proclaimed? Or was this just a good photo op? Did Colin really mean or understand the words within the proclamation?
Someone tried to argue that it was Colin’s ‘duty’ to attend this forum—now being referred to as a “private luncheon”—I just question if this truly was a issue of ‘duty’ or ‘opportunity,’ forsaking the words that just fell from his lips.
Perhaps as a parent of an adult daughter with a disability and who has had to fight and advocated for the rights of inclusion, this incident struck a chord with me. Not only did I take it personally by both Colin and the hosts of the ‘luncheon, for me, it flew in the face of fair play and common courtesy—it hurt. I might be wrong, but shouldn’t have all those deemed eligible to stand for office, regardless of whether the hosts deemed them as ‘worthy to be heard,’ shouldn’t they have at least been invited?
I know this is now seemingly a moot point—it’s done, it’s over, move on—but it still bothers me because it, for me, is a “tell all” sign of a person’s true character, integrity and trust. For me, those are important qualities I am looking for in a leader.
Joyce Mainland, Kelowna
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To the editor:
As a 90-year-old grandmother, I am amazed at what my grandchildren have accomplished and how they have faced, successfully, the modern challenges of today.
Our last two mayors, Sharon Shepherd and Walter Gray, deserve our respect, our thanks, and our gratitude. They have both served our city well, but it’s now time to move forward.
We have mentored, educated and molded our youth into the creative, innovative and intelligent adult professionals that they are today. Our Vancouver mayor was only 40 when he led what is now one of the most successful cities in the world. Both Calgary and Winnipeg have elected young mayors. They have demonstrated the next generation is ready to lead.
It’s time for Kelowna to elect a forward-thinking, educated, local leader for the next four years. Colin Basran is the candidate for the job.
E. Mitchell, Kelowna
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To the editor:
Over the past three years we have been subjected to negative responses by the present mayor and city council regarding a multitude of important people related concerns. More so if big business entered in to block any form of “people” related progress or concerns.
Parks, very much alive, were front and centre. Hidden agenda’s were in place for each, as big business interests, including a recent five year lease to the paddle centre. Remember the People for the Park Rally? Well, much like others it was ignored by the mayor and present council.
As we moved into election mode, City Park renovations were set in place. a positive for the city, while Rutland Centennial Park under the guise of democratic “show of hands” (less than 200) voting was taken over by the City of Kelowna while Rutland voters were refused an opportunity to vote on it as a referendum in the Nov. 15 municipal election.
In its place, Rutland’s 30,000 voters received a two way road through Centennial Park to allow B.C. Transit to tun a city bus every eight minutes directly through what was once a people’s park, purchased and paid for by Rutland citizens in 1929.
This, my friends, is the progress you can expect from mayoral hopeful Colin Basran and present sitting council members.
Your vote on Saturday, November 15, should recognize citizen concerns and put in place a mayor and new council members who truly care.
Arlene Gaal, Kelowna
