The Kelowna Paddle Centre is ready to expand at its current location on Abbott Street now that city council has given its blessing to a new five year lease.
The club moved to the lakefront location last year — home to the city of Kelowna’s newest park.
“It could be an iconic addition to the waterfront in the future,” says Kelowna Paddle Centre spokesman, Joey Hertz.
But that’s not how some area residents feel.
“It’s my neighbourhood, It’s my beach, my lake, my city, my tax money,” says Richard Drinnan who is opposed to the club occupying city owned parkland.
He says the city is breaking its promise that all the land was to be open to the public — much like Kelowna’s City Park.
“The city is on record as saying that they spent $3.2 million to buy these properties for a swimming beach for the public, for a public park.”
And Drinnan is not alone. Kelowna lawyer, Paul Mitchell, says the city promised to do a land management study but didn’t.
“I don’t live in the neighbourhood but I want my kids to use that park some day. But if you have four lots fenced off, it just seems to be too much, too soon and for way too small a number of people.”
Kelowna mayor Walter Gray says the city leases land to sporting clubs all the time. He says the paddle club is no different.
“Many organizations have arrangements with the city and they could be seen as clubs, but as long as they avail their facilities to the general public who aren’t members, then we’re very anxious to be their partners,” says Gray.
And with council’s unanimous vote it’s time for the paddle club to prove it’s worthy of occupying some of Kelowna’s prime lakefront parkland.
“Now our work starts,” says Hertz. “Now we have to prove ourselves and make sure that it works for the paddle club and increase our membership.”
A one year membership to the Kelowna Paddle Centre is $250. It currently has about 100 members.
Comments