Kelowna is British Columbia's third largest city with a population of about 95,000 people. It is located in British Columbia's Southern Interior on the eastern shore of Lake Okanagan.

The following information was graciously provided by Pat McCormmick of the City of Kelowna Planning and Development Services Department.

The city's central location makes it a major retail/commercial service centre for the surrounding region. Agriculture is a primary contributor to the area's economy with the local wine industry having made significant strides in the past few years. The appeal of the natural setting combined with a favourable climate and abundant recreation opportunities also made Kelowna an appealing tourist destination. The city is home to the nation's fastest-growing airport a well as Okanagan University College. Western Star Trucks, a world leader in heavy truck production, is the community's largest private-sector employer.

City of Kelowna

Downtown Kelowna Association

Kelowna Chamber of Commerce

Economic Development Commission for the Regional District of Central Okanagan (Kelowna page)

Pandosy Street

With the adoption of the Kelowna Official Community Plan in 1995, the City of Kelowna made a commitment to direct future population growth to our Urban Town Centres. The intention is that these Town Centres will become higher density, pedestrian-oriented sectors of the city. This strategy is meant to foster sustainable development by reducing reliance on automobile and by providing a greater range of community facilities and services within walking distance of the average resident.

Consistent with the direction to promote and encourage livable Town Centres, the City of Kelowna has undertaken the initiative described below.

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The South Pandosy Revitalization Project

Background
The subject area is located about a kilometre south of Kelowna's central business district. The area was and remains the commercial heart of the South Pandosy/KLO** Town Centre which is comprised primarily of newer multiple-family housing, and single-family homes and apartments of older vintage.

** KLO refers to the principal street in the area. It is an acronym for Kelowna Land and Orchard Company, which was an active business enterprise in the late 1800s and early 1990s.

However, prior to the revitalization project, the area was severely lacking in pedestrian facilities and amenities, with limited on-street and poorly-identified off-street spaces. Consistent with the directions set out in Kelowna's OCP and the South Pandosy/KLO Sector Plan, the South Pandosy Revitalization Project was initiated by the City of Kelowna Planning and Development Services Department.

The Vision

Process
To help prepare a community-based strategy, the South Pandosy Revitalization Committee was formed. This committee was comprised of area stakeholders including local business and resident association representatives. The Committee met regularly to guide the process and provide stakeholder input. It was chaired by a member of City Council and coordinated by the Long Range Planning Section of the Department of Planning and Development Services. To coordinate and provide the expertise necessary to carry out the revitalization program, a planning firm was hired to act a prime consultant.

The Action

Implementation
A Commercial Strategy Study was drafted as part of the early work. The study provided an overview of the area's status at the time, and identified specific opportunities for the future related to land use, parking, connections to the nearby waterfront, and an optimal marketing and merchandising mix.

In recognition of the need to create a sense of place that would support an economically thriving business precinct within the South Pandosy area, an Urban Design Concept Plan was undertaken as a separate but complementary initiative. The Concept Plan addressed the need for a more pedestrian-oriented environment while simultaneously taking into consideration the need to accommodate short-term parking for shoppers.

After receiving positive support from two public open houses, construction of the project was proposed to City Council as a Specified Area Bylaw. The Bylaw was endorsed by Council in March of 1996.

Under the Bylaw, land owners were assessed the costs of the streetscape improvements according to the amount of linear footage served. These improvements included the installation of generous sidewalks, street trees and theme planting, benches, light standards and decorative street lighting, fencing along the frontages of surface parking lots, and entrance signage to the area. Property owners were given the option of a one-time payment, or a repayment program based on debenture borrowing permitted according to the terms of the Specified Area Bylaw.

As part of the overall initiative, the City of Kelowna undertook the reconstruction of Pandosy Street, the principle street in the revitalization area. The scope of the reconstruction included installation of storm sewers and the provision of new curbs, gutters, and road surfaces. Funding sources for the city's portion of the work included general revenues and development cost charge revenues.

Total cost of the project, including streetscape and roadway improvements, was $4,068,370.00. Construction began in September and was completed in the summer of 1998.

South Pandosy in 1999

Although no information is available to ascertain the current health of the South Pandosy business community, the project seems to have been generally well received and is looked upon by local residents as a model for streetscape improvement.

Since the completion of the project, there has been some upgrading of existing building facades in the area and one new commercial development (at least one more commercial development permit is in the application stage), and the business community is working towards the creation of a business improvement association.

It is the City's hope that the commercial revitalization area will continue to see an upgrading of existing buildings, particularly the addition of new developments with residential on the floors above street level. This has not happened to date, but there is every reason to believe that the area's proximity to the lake, its mix of local businesses, and the high quality of its streetscape will be an incentive for change in this regard.

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