VIDEO: North End waterfront development means exciting times ahead

Never before has so much been riding on one development opportunity in Kelowna.

The impending re-development of the former Tolko Mill site and now the adjacent BC Tree Fruits property is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

"This will have a significant impact on the future of our city," said Mayor Colin Basran. "It's very exciting."

The Mill was closed in 2020, but the vision for the property has yet to come into focus.

"It's essentially going to be an entirely, almost, new downtown," explained Basran.

Dialog Design, the company hired to lead the project has provided just a glimpse of what we might expect.

"The vision could be an innovative combination of green space and residential and commercial uses," said spokesperson Dan Walsh in an interview with KelownaNow.

"We have such a great opportunity here," said Basran.

"I think the majority of our residents will, once they see the vision, get behind it because it's going to mean something incredible for the city of Kelowna."

Before anything happens on the 44 acres of prime land, there will be an extensive public consultation process to come up with an Area Redevelopment Plan.

The Tolko property is still owned by the same family-owned parent company that operated the mill.

The smaller BC Tree Fruits piece was just purchased by Kelowna's Mission Group for $23.75 Million.

It's all in private hands, but Basran said the public truly has an opportunity to help shape how it's built out.

"If there's a fear that the property owners can just do what they want, there are checks and balances in place," explained Basran.

"That's why council wants them to do public engagement and ultimately it will be up to the council of the day to approve whatever goes there."

Walsh said "everything is on the table."

"Certainly waterfront access," said the Mayor, when asked for his priorities, "and great parks and amenity spaces, commerce, of course."

But he quickly mentioned the shortage of housing in the community.

"We desperately need housing," he said.

The overall re-development along the waterfront in Kelowna's north end is expected to mean hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity.

But it's the amenities that it could add to the city that has the mayor thrilled by the possibilities.

"It's exciting times for our city," he said.