Centre to bring community of innovators to downtown Kelowna

KELOWNA – Developers of a new building proposed for Ellis and Doyle Avenue are saying the finished product will be Canada's most innovative, creative and entrepreneurial technology community.

The Okanagan Centre for Innovation is a six-storey, 10,000 square metre structure that would be built in conjunction with Okanagan College, Accelerate Okanagan, the Economic Development Commission, the City of Kelowna and the Kelowna Innovation Society.

According to the project website, the property next to the Downtown Kelowna Branch of the Okanagan Regional Library would be leased from the City, which will receive a share in the development.

"Kelowna is recognized as one of Canada’s top entrepreneurial cities, and already has the third largest technology sector in the province," says Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission director Robert Fine. "Developing an innovation hub downtown will help connect knowledge workers and businesses to create jobs, drive further economic growth and build Canada’s most innovative, creative and entrepreneurial technology community right here in our region."

The Centre would house both large tech firms as well as smaller, start-up companies and be connected to the library.

The $35 million project will be funded by a group of private investors and designed by Meiklejohn Architects, which designed the Landmark VI Centre, the largest office building in the B.C. Interior.

Construction will begin this Summer with occupancy slated for Fall 2015.

An open house will be held May 28 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the downtown library.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.