Years-long fight to prevent Kelowna Springs rezoning ends as council votes ‘yes’

Kelowna city council was split on the controversial plan to redevelop half of the Kelowna Springs Golf Course property, but ultimately the years-long fight to prevent the industrial rezoning was lost.

Council ultimately voted to approve the plan to rezone half the course, but councillors Charlie Hodge, Gord Lovegrove and Ron Cannan voted against at the meeting today, March 16.

The fate of the golf course has been an ongoing battle since 2022, and it has finally come to a close.

The rezoning is part of a larger deal that would give the city the nine-hole golf course and permit the property owner, Denciti Development Corp., to begin the process to turn the rest of the property into a mix of industrial, open space and other recreation.

The issue has drawn a lot of attention over the years, and the controversy came to a head at a public hearing last week when opponents and supporters of the rezoning went back and forth for hours.

The development plan for the property preserves the nine-hole golf course while the plan for the rest of the land includes 35 acres of industrial park, a 12-court climate controlled pickleball dome and roughly 9 acres of public space.

Ahead of his “yes” vote councillor Loyal Wooldridge said this plan was a good compromise.

“We can’t let perfect be the enemy of good. This deal seeks to address community concerns, secure our water, save the golf course and expand recreational opportunities,” he said.

Councillor Cannan voted against the motion to rezone the property, and he said that this was the wrong time to approve the development.

“There’s no harm in ensuring we get this right, but there is potential harm in getting it wrong. Because in the end, a great city is not measured only by what it builds, but by what it has the wisdom and courage to protect,” Cannan said.

Several councillors mentioned that in 2022 some of them were elected on the promise to save the golf course, Mayor Tom Dyas included.

Dyas said the current plan to preserve the nine-hole course, protect some of the wetlands while approving the industrial rezoning was the only way to ensure the golf course stays alive and another developer doesn’t come along with a worse plan.

“By saying no, it will continue to be uncertain of what the future development of this site will be like,” he said. “I would ask council to support this plan as we cannot delay the decision without a clear path or really any other path that is put before us at this time.”

Denciti’s CEO Garry Fawley said in a written statement the development plan was created with people’s concerns in mind.

“Guided by extensive community input, the refined proposal preserves the 9-hole Kelowna Springs Golf Course, with city ownership through the land exchange, adds a year-round indoor pickleball facility, creates new employment lands, and delivers 9 acres of public open space with trails and naturalized areas,” he said.

Now that the rezoning has been approved by council, the land swap deal that secured the transfer of the nine-hole course is set to go ahead and Denciti can move forward with the process to fulfill its vision.