Former McDonalds site in downtown Kelowna being prepped for demolition

Work will start next week to clear the site of the former McDonalds restaurant on Water Street near Highway 97 in Kelowna.

The first part of the job will be to carefully remove the asbestos and lead in the building, while protecting nearby Mill Creek. The building itself and invasive elm trees will be taken down by the end of October.

“Demolishing the building is necessary as it’s fallen into disrepair from extended vacancy and due to proximity to the creek it doesn’t lend itself well to repurposing,” Graham Hood, the City’s strategic land development manager, said in a news release.

“This property represents a unique opportunity for future redevelopment and ensuring it is in attractive condition for lot consolidation and future redevelopment options is beneficial to the City’s long-range financial and capital plans," he said.

The City bought the property in May as part of an agreement to deal with claims stemming from the realignment of the highway in 2007 to allow for the building of the Bennett bridge.

“Coupled with last year’s acquisition of the former Husky station at 380 Harvey Ave., we’re excited by the opportunities this property represents as a key location in the city’s western gateway,” Hood said.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submitphotos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.