Not much UBCO student input at event on city’s Culture Plan

KELOWNA – Only a handful of UBC Okanagan students took the time to tell the City of Kelowna how best to enhance arts and culture at an open house yesterday.

Originally billed as a forum for young professionals, the effort to get input into a new cultural plan for the city consisted of one sign board next to a cafe in the Fipke Building on campus yesterday, Jan. 29, for a couple of hours, asking what students, the city and business could do.

The students who took the time to stop were asked to fill out a short questionnaire and put sticky notes on three other sign boards with suggestions.

“Kelowna is a growing city with lots of potential,” fourth-year student Ben Donn told iNFOnews.ca. “The university could support students in their pursuit of the arts, in terms of understanding or creating culture. I think that would be fantastic.”

Right now, it’s up to students to put on events or promote their art work. He would like to see things like poetry readings, musical and artistic events, adding that a university-based band only gets gigs downtown.

A number of the sticky notes suggested staging more festivals and having business sponsorships.

Joe, who did not give his last name, talked about the high quality of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and suggested they be given the opportunity to perform outdoor concerts or at wineries.

“Kelowna has a vibrant little culture underneath but it’s not in the news,” he complained, urging more local news coverage of the arts.

The City is updating its Cultural Plan and expects to have a draft to council in the fall. It’s in the early stages of collecting public input.

The next session is a forum with high school students tomorrow, Jan. 31.

There is also an online survey and an 'idea board' at getinvolved.Kelowna.ca/cultureal-plan.

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