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Mayor Colin Basran

Kelowna councillor frustrated with RCMP communication

SUPERINTENDENT HASN'T TAKEN QUESTIONS AT A COUNCIL MEETING IN OVER A YEAR KELOWNA - A city councillor says he’s surprised and a little disappointed the Kelowna RCMP have not appeared at a public council meeting to take questions since the new council was sworn in over a year ago. City councillor Ryan Donn says RCMP...

East Kelowna farm earns council support for distillery and weddings

KELOWNA - An agri-tourism operation on a small plot of farm land in East Kelowna got a rare endorsement from city council this week, despite plans to include weddings and a distillery. Kristi and James Caldwell requested council support for their application to the Agriculatural Land Commision to allow a portion of their land to...

City announces new beachfront park for Kelowna

KELOWNA - The City of Kelowna has announced the purchase of a piece of lakeshore property that will allow for the creation of a new beachfront park. Mayor Colin Basran says the city has spent $12 million acquiring the property located on Lakeshore Drive near Lexington Road. "This will create a legacy for our community...

Kelowna city council aims to take lead on homelessness

KELOWNA - Admitting it’s out of touch with current community efforts to combat homelessness, Kelowna city council is hoping to jump into a leadership role by hiring a homeless coordinator and adopting a new, more direct housing strategy. The initiative comes amid signs of increased homelessness in Kelowna, including a doubling in the number of...

Years of bad water convinces Kelowna man irrigation districts have to go

KELOWNA - A Glenmore man says Kelowna residents need to get educated on how water is delivered in the city and the turf war going on behind the scenes with local irrigation districts. “I understand how we came to have four irrigation districts, but we’re not the same city anymore, it isn’t 80 years ago....

Kelowna mayor plays it safe with policy for lighting up The Sails

KELOWNA - Tourists and locals alike have long flocked to The Sails at the foot of Bernard Avenue for postcard moments in the Okanagan sun. The sculpture’s graceful curves can also be lit up at night in a variety of colours. At the discretion of the Mayor’s Office, community groups can ask to have The...

Kelowna council won’t follow Vancouver’s lead on medical marijuana dispensaries

KELOWNA – More than 80 new medical marijuana dispensaries have opened in Vancouver in the last year, prompting city council there to consider implementing business regulations to keep them from getting out of control. But the mayor of the Interior's largest city says Kelowna council is not planning on revisiting the issue any time soon....

Gospel Mission extends its reach to courtyard

KELOWNA - The Gospel Mission, Kelowna’s single mens shelter, has announced it will build a courtyard next to its Leon Ave. building, with the aim of giving downtown homeless somewhere to go during the day. “Too often during the day the homeless, due to lack of options, are staying in places that put them at...

Kelowna school to host living library this week

KELOWNA – Students of a Kelowna middle school will get an education in their library this week — but not from any books. The fourth annual Human Library event is a chance for students of KLO Middle School to meet with and ask questions of around 30 professionals from diverse backgrounds. According to a School...

City budget ‘bare bones’ despite sizeable tax increase

KELOWNA — Even Kelowna’s mayor concedes it sounds odd calling a possible 3.5 per cent tax increase a “bare bones budget." “It sounds crazy but this is actually a very lean budget,” says Colin Basran, who blames two big-ticket items — Kelowna’s new police station and recent union contract settlement — for the increase. “Both...