KELOWNA – It has been a winter of gung-ho activity for construction in Kelowna.
Usually, the cold months bring a slow down in building activity but not this year.
All day Thursday, a large concrete pour was underway at a downtown parkade expansion project.
“It’s a great day, we’re happy to be pouring in middle of winter,” says Trevor Nelmes of Livingstone Concrete. “It’s a big pour, 350 cubic metres. In January in Kelowna it’s fantastic to be able to stay this busy.”
Just down the street, a new multi-story parkade is being built.
Across from that, the new headquarters for Interior Health is well underway.
And kiddie-corner to that project, the Centre for Innovation for high-tech businesses is taking shape.
Not far away, the $50 million Police Services Building is rising from the ground.
And across town at Okanagan College, the new trades training complex is nearing completion.
And there are other large construction projects underway in the city.
It’s keeping workers employed who might otherwise be laid off.
“Yeah. For the most part in winter, a lot of people migrate to bigger cities like Vancouver or Calgary,” says Nelmes. “To be able to stay busy all year round here in Kelowna is fantastic.”
Nelmes hopes the busy trend continues throughout the year and there’s optimism for that.
The long stalled, partially built Lucaya condo project has changed owners and is slated for a 21 story, 155 unit resurrection as The Grace.
As well, the condo tower proposed for the Sopa Square development in the Pandosy Village area should get off the drawing board.
And construction is slated to start on a $65 million, high-rise hotel in the heart of downtown along with other commercial and residential projects throughout Kelowna.
The city’s community planning and development manager says 2016 should be a very busy year for construction activity.
“We’re seeing a lot of interest from Calgary developers and businesses, either looking to relocate here or starting new franchises here,” says Ryan Smith. “There’s certainly some interest from Vancouver as well. And I know Kelowna has got a lot of exposure in the American market in the last couple years in the media there, so I think there’s some renewed interest from the States as well.”
The value of Kelowna building permits issued last year was nearly $500 million.
Smith says the 2016 figure could reach close to that.
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