In the 1950s the 87 km between San Francisco and San Jose was a pleasant run through countless orchards and sleepy townships like Cupertino and Mountain View. Today, the orchards are gone. The entire valley is paved with office parks, strip malls and low-density subdivisions. Green space for recreation is in short supply. Many can’t afford the real estate and commute 90-plus minutes each way to work.
A lack of affordable housing is driving a growing homeless population. As the climate changes, water is in short supply and is a continual worry. Sound familiar? Of course, we’re talking about Silicon Valley, but it could be an indicator of where our beloved Okanagan is headed unless we manage development smartly.
I’m no Luddite opposed to all development. But we seem to be addicted to it. Each regional district and municipalities across the Okanagan seems hell-bent on attracting development of any kind, no matter what the long-term consequences.
We lack an overall framework to govern the development plans of our regional districts and municipalities. Where do we want development? Where do we want green space? How much density can we afford? Take a look at Kelowna — downtown condos are springing up. And most importantly — how big a population can our water supply sustain and do we have the money for the health, education and transportation services that an exploding population requires?
This isn’t rocket science. With 362,000 people (2016 census) the Okanagan is considerably smaller than many Canadian cities. Many communities have figured this out around the world.
If you care about the future of this Valley get involved. Pressure your local and provincial representatives. Join a community organization. We need to push for an overall plan that controls what looks like an out of control system. Otherwise, one day everything will be paved from Vernon to Peachland. Not a prospect I relish. Do you?
Ritchie Leslie
