Major redevelopment of Hiawatha RV Park in Kelowna set to begin this summer

It has taken more than a decade, but if Kelowna city council agrees on Monday, the revitalization of one of Kelowna’s last remaining campgrounds will begin next July.

Edmonton-based Westcorp is asking for a development permit for 200 townhome units in nine buildings at the Hiawatha RV Park on Lakeshore Road across from Rotary Beach and City staff are recommending approval. The property includes a mobile park, a RV park and campsite.

“In 2013, stacked townhomes, with a maximum height of 10.5 metres were planned for the interface areas and those building forms remain in the current vision providing respectful development transition to the adjacent neighbourhood,” the report going to council states.

In all, there are more than 1,000 units proposed for the 18-acre site. Along with the townhomes, there are eight towers proposed, reaching up to 14 storeys high.

READ MORE: Developer makes high end plans for Kelowna campground that's home to low income earners

The staff report says Westcorp bought the land in 2007. At the time, it was a 94-unit, 55-plus park with a campground along Wilson Creek.

The company bought up all the mobile homes as of July 2015 and rented some out ever since. As of a year ago, only three of the original homeowners remained in the park.

A development plan was approved in 2013.

The townhome project going before city council on Monday, Dec. 7, includes nine buildings, each 3.5 storeys, and will include 128 two-bedroom units and 72 three-bedroom units.

Construction is expected to start in July 2021 on the first of three phases that are projected to be finished by the spring of 2023.

By that time, a parkade should be partially built to accommodate residents’ vehicles and a Wilson Creek linear park should be complete from Lakeshore Road to Bird Place.

Westcorp is the same company that’s planning to build a 33-storey hotel in downtown Kelowna.

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