Candidates

[DuaneT]

Please feel free to discuss any candidates that declare themselves running for the upcoming elections in November.

[JDUB]

Duane??? You gonna run there man?

[DuaneT]

Friday with great horror, I read in castanet that Mr. Andy Thomsen declared his candidacy to become an alderman for the city of Kelowna. He made it very clear that he is an anti-development person who has not even taken the time to follow through on the issues involving the city. He has no foresight into the future growth of this city and wishes to stall the present growth we are in.

Firstly; he makes reference to our lakefront and states that it needs “recreational space and facilities, including more parks and beaches for the families who will be living here”. Then he states that Lawson’s Landing does not address any of those needs. Well maybe he should either talk to the developer or city hall. We all know that before anything will be built on the site the land will be increased to include a much larger park, and a new beach. You can see a copy of the plans on our website here under Lawson Landing. movekelownaforward.com/Projects/LawsonLanding/index.cfm There is a chance that the buildings will change but the boardwalk and beach will remain. As for the Simpson Covenant, it has been publicly stated that the agreement “may not be legally confirmed” by the Simpson Family. That is the only interpretation the council needs. If the Mr. Simpson was so caring about the area he would have given the land to the city instead of selling it to them. Your right, the real problem is not the covenant but the fact that Simpson family and their failure to see the future and how that land can be put to better use then just a parking lot.

Secondly; he states the city is obsessed with growth. Every city will be growing over its life time and with an estimated population of BC growing by 1.25 million people over the next 20 years, we have to realize that people will want to move to Kelowna. His idea of following the OCP to the letter is wrong as it will not allow us the freedom to become a regional centre. Do I agree with a 20 year OCP plan? Not in its present state, in my opinion we should have set up 4- 5 years plans. That way the plans can be either adapted or changed depending on how the city and even the region around us are growing.

Thirdly; he does make one good point that as our city grows, so will traffic. I also agree that we should be looking building under/over passes to assist in the traffic flow of the city. But I do not agree that we need to spend money and hire a “competent professional consultant” as the city already employs people who have the knowledge to do the job. The main thing we need to do is look for a way to fund the improvements without overtaxing our citizens.

He states we need a new team, one with a vision and leadership. Well guess what Mr. Thomsen, we already got them and I fear that your vision will not be in the best interest of our city. You have already proven that you can spread false information in your attempt to become an alderman. How can you honestly think that we will be able to trust anything that you say?

[Guest]

I think Andy Thomsen would make a great city councillor. He has what those presently on council lack which is vision. It doesn't take much brains to just approve every development proposal that comes before them and brains is what our present city council is lacking.

[JDUB]

You know, if I could find credibility in those that support Andy Thomsen I may even listen to what he has to say. But by constantly making comments and not having the guts to put a name to those comments, it shows the true character of those that support Andy Thomsen.

Basically what Guest is saying is that Kelowna is full of idiots because we after all were the ones who voted in this council. The Mayor and Council are doing what they feel is best for this city. We may not like all the decisions they make, but by popular vote they were put into office... makes you wonder what your vote is... eh guest?

[DuaneT]

Then I must say "Guest" that you lack the intelligence to see when someone is misrepresenting themselves to you.. He has already tried to misrepresent the facts concerning Lawson Landing and his idea of proper beaches and parks. If your vision of the future is based on him and his ideals of forcing this city into an economic downturn then I am truly afraid for this cities future. We need people with a forward thinking vision and integrity. That is something the current council has.

[Guest]

JDUB said:

You know, if I could find credibility in those that support Andy Thomsen I may even listen to what he has to say. But by constantly making comments and not having the guts to put a name to those comments, it shows the true character of those that support Andy Thomsen.

Basically what Guest is saying is that Kelowna is full of idiots because we after all were the ones who voted in this council. The Mayor and Council are doing what they feel is best for this city. We may not like all the decisions they make, but by popular vote they were put into office... makes you wonder what your vote is... eh guest?

And calling yourself JDUB is a gutsy admission of your real identity?

[Mathos]

By any chance does any of you have a copy of the letter from castanet you could post, I missed it.

[Jeff W aka JDUB]

Alrighty there guest... if that is the best you can do.

My name is Jeff... at least I put a name in... and you call this site childish?

[DuaneT]

Mathos the letter is located here on castanet.

www.castanet.net/cgi-bin2/newNews/news_list.cgi?method=show_story&id=10609&query=search

[Matt Phillips]

i like his comment about balconies not replacing playgrounds.

the funny thing is that balconies do not take up land as the are built on top of eachother, and the area where the actual buildings are are a parking lot and an old dilapidated hotel, not playgrounds

[Mathos]

Matt,

Indeed balconies dont use up extra space, but that doesnt seem what Andy Thomsen is implying.

"and balconies will never replace real playgrounds."

Now I dont know how you feel about children playing on balconies, but I dont think its a good idea. And as you can see in the renderings Duane linked to, there doesnt seem to be any places that children CAN actually play, besides the concrete plazas and wooden boardwalk...lol. Sure you see the bits of lawns around the sails, but those look more like landscape and obviously isnt a play atmosphere.

And Matt, in regards to your last comment, dont forget Kerry Park. Ya, that still exists, and it is a large patch of open lawn. Oh, and dont forget about the ogopogo statue. Kids love playing there, and I dont see that replaced in the lawson landing renderings.

So I think it is safe to say that Lawsons Landing does in fact take away play ground space. So ya I think Andy Thomsen is justified in making that comment.

[DuaneT]

Mathos you have contradicted yourself. You first state “And as you can see in the renderings Duane linked to, there doesn’t seem to be any places that children CAN actually play”. Then in the next paragraph you state “don’t forget Kerry Park. Ya, that still exists, and it is a large patch of open lawn. Oh, and don’t forget about the ogopogo statue. Kids love playing there”. Well Kerry park will actually increase 2.5 to 3 times its present size and if you saying that kids love playing there now, (which I rarely see when I am downtown in the area, most kids are over at the water park or hot sands beach) then they will even happier with a larger park that will be built. Don’t forget about the beach that will be created, I don’t see on there now. There is a sandy area next to the little snack shack but that has patio tables on it. As for the Ogopogo statue, we noticed it was missing too when we first saw the plans and pointed that out to the developer. The statue will not be removed from the site, it artist just forgot to put it in the plan. So you see Andy Thomsen is not justified in making that comment as he has not taken the time to actually research the proposal.