KELOWNA – Kelowna City Council has approved the re-zoning application for a visitor centre at the downtown Queensway Jetty location. The vote followed a public hearing and community consultation period that spanned nearly a year.
“The tourism industry in Kelowna represents over $140 million in tax revenue each year and provides over 8,300 local jobs,” said Tourism Kelowna President and CEO Nancy Cameron. “A new visitor centre will help enhance visitor experiences, unlock additional spending, and provide a safe and animated space for residents to meet.”
In the two weeks before the public hearing, Council received 91 letters of support for the project, with upwards of 150 letters of support submitted overall including many representing multiple businesses and staff.
At a well-attended public hearing on January 24, 2017, many demonstrated support for the project and 25 residents and individuals representing business and industry groups made presentations to explain why the Queensway Jetty location was the best place to create economic opportunities for local businesses and enhance the waterfront walkway for visitors and residents.
Since the project was first presented in the spring of 2016, Tourism Kelowna changed the project plan based on community feedback including removing the organization’s offices, which resulted in a 40 per cent reduction in square footage, and moving the building entirely off Sawmill Community Trust lands, often referred to as the Simpson Covenant.
The new visitor centre building, which will be constructed mainly of glass and B.C. wood products, is estimated to cost $2.8 million and construction costs will be covered entirely by Tourism Kelowna. The small parcel of land that the centre will be built on will be provided to Tourism Kelowna in a 29-year lease.
The building will be set back from the water’s edge by 10 metres on the north and south sides and 15 metres on the west allowing for enhanced public green space. The City of Kelowna will retain ownership of the land, and following the lease it will be returned to the City.