Former Kelowna mayor passes away

The City of Kelowna is paying tribute to one of its former leaders.

The city announced Monday that James Stuart has died and the municipality will be flying its flags at half-mast as a tribute.

Stuart was the mayor of Kelowna from 1986 to 1996.

In a public statement, the city said: “Stuart served as a bridge between the city’s agricultural roots to the growing urban centre it was becoming.”

“Change is never easy, and mayor Stuart guided the city through probably its biggest shift ever. I know it must have been difficult for him, but he always had the best interests of the city in mind,” Kelowna’s current Mayor Colin Basran said in a public statement.

Kelowna’s waterfront Stuart Park is named in honour of the former mayor.

There is no indication Stuart’s passing is linked to the coronavirus pandemic.