Kelowna, B.C. seeks upgrades to Island Stage, applies for provincial funding

A “funky” waterfront stage built in the heart of Kelowna, B.C., in the early ’90s is set to get a significant upgrade, but what that looks like remains to be seen.

Chris Babcock, City of Kelowna event development supervisor, gained council approval Monday to apply for a $1 million provincial grant to be used for upgrading the Island Stage in Waterfront Park. While in an ideal setting, it needs a lot of work.

“Waterfront Park is one of the city’s prized locations that contribute to our overall community’s vibrancy,” Babcock said.

“Within Waterfront Park, Island Stage was constructed in the early 1990s as part of the greater park development and is ideally located close to events. This is due to many factors, including its beautiful setting and incorporated landscape, such as the grass berm which acts as an informal amphitheatre.”

Despite these positive characteristics, Babcock said the stage is an underutilized event location due to its lack and separation of audience space, aging infrastructure, lack of functional space and flexibility and under-serviced utilities.

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Of concern is the stage load access, the electrical system, lacking changing and washroom facilities.

Further consultation will be needed before plans take shape and after questions from Coun. Ron Cannan, Babcock said he couldn’t even ballpark a price just yet.

That said, most agreed that it was time for a change with only one word of caution being offered.

0:35 Kelowna waterfront lights further vandalized

Coun. Charlie Hodge said he likes the “funky” little stage and noted that quite often, when it comes to improving amenities, the charm is taken away.

“My philosophy is either it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We all know the boards are broken but it’s not all that bad,” Coun. Hodge said.

“Bottom line is that is a very funky little location and people love it because it’s open air, it’s small, it’s great, you can sit on the lawn, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s part of what makes its charm,” he said.

“Quite often what we do is we try to improve things and we wreck them. And so my concern is that we don’t lose the flavour of what we got going there. ”

The stage discussion will become bigger as time carries on.