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PROGRESS A FOCUS ON BUSINESS IN THE CENTRAL OKANAGAN
Expansion plans at YLW ............4 Aberdeen Hall promotes a well-rounded education............5 Building for the future at Okanagan College ....................6 Okanagan Koi - the largest Koi destination in Canada ...............8 Boyd Autobody expands into a new Rutland facility .................10 Transform your kitchen at an amazing price ..........................11 The Hub launched by Kelowna Cycle.........................12 Best Western leads the way in environmentally friendly businesses ...............................13 Bylands: over 60 years in the community ..............................14 Downtown Innovation Centre set to open in 2016 .......................15 Okanagan tourism remains robust 18 Taylor Pro Training fills gap for retiring workers .......................18 Marshall Business Centre development..................... 20-21 Kelowna Kia creates customers for life ......................................21 We Care Health Services creates a win-win situation............................. 22-23 Trout Waters celebrates its 20th anniversary ..............................24 ReStore builds a new 23,000 sq. ft. facility ..................................25 Food bank much more than emergency food relief ............26 Downtown Kelowna growth ...27 Heritage Retirement opens doors to the community ....................28 Talent and innovation help drive Kelowna Chrysler ....................29 Local growers expressing a positive attitude ......................30
Publisher Karen Hill Managing Editor Barry Gerding Writers Barry Gerding Kathy Michaels Kevin Parnell Jean Russell Mike Strauss Alistair Waters Production Director Tessa Ringness Production Designers Nancy Blow Shayla Graf Kiana Haner-Wilk Courtney Larkan Mary Matthews Laura Millsip Kelly Ulmer Advertising Manager Karen Hill Account Executives Teresa Huscroft-Brown Sheri Jackson Bob Lindsay Rick Methot Christine Mould Megan Munro Al Tomiak Kimberley Vico Wayne Woollett
CAPITAL news
Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Ambitious expansion plans in store for YLW BY BARRY GERDING While it is called Kelowna International Airport (YLW), the international aspect of the destination travel points has so far extended to across Canada, the U.S., Mexico and for a time to Hawaii. That’s one reason why the announcement of flights to Varadaro, Cuba, starting in December of this year through to April 2016, are a significant service being provided to an Okanagan Valley passengers the airport serves. “Something we’ve heard about from our surveys is people are looking for sunspots to travel to besides just in Mexico,” said YLW director Sam Samaddar. “Many people have gone to Mexico too many times now and are looking for a new destination, and Cuba has frequently come up in those conversations.” The flights to Cuba came at the expense of dropping the direct fights to Ixtapa, but other Mexican destinations will remain on the airport’s direct flight itinerary. Flying to Cuba also leads to the conversation about international airlines bringing flights from Western Europe destination points to Kelowna, something which Samaddar says is realistic to see happen within the next five years. TRAVEL TRADE FAIR He said they are doing the research on their end with local residents to see what destination countries would be of interest, how often they might go there and what choice of Western European cities they would fly to. “We take that research data and pass it on to the airlines, which are doing the same kind of research on their end to test the interest levels in flying to Kelowna as a destination point. One thing we’ve heard that is very positive for the Okanagan is that airline surveys show there is a greater awareness than might have been first thought about Kelowna. That has been quite plesently surprising for them and speaks, I think, to the tourism promotion work that has been done by Big White Ski Resort and the Sparkling Hill resort. “ “Most likely those flights would occur in the peak summer vacation period where they would fly here once a week. For us that means providing customer satisfaction in that it becomes much easier to travel to Europe and it opens up marketing opportunities for our tourism industry. Samaddar said Australia is currently the airport’s biggest international traffic draw, but the focus in Western Europe
would likely centre on the United Kingdom and Germany. “One thing I have been studying closely is the impact of a summer program in Whitehorse, that sees a 767 bringing 250 people to Whitehorse from Frankfurt, Germany, on a weekly basis,” he said. “There are tremendous spin-offs from that as some people fly in and go on two, three week or monthly excursions. It’s been a huge driver for the local economy during the summer.” Last month, Kelowna airport officials unveiled their latest plans for expansion at YLW—a multi-year $55.6 million plan that will see improvements and additions to the baggage handling system, plane parking area, departure lounge, check-in area and taxiway. The work, to be carried out over the next five years, is part of a $92-million airport improvement plan started in 2008. “This is our most ambitious plan yet,” said Samaddar. The latest round of construction at the airport will start with the building of a large, state-of-the art outbound baggage hall that will handle more than twice the number of bags the airport currently deals with and could be ramped up to handle three times more as the airport continues to grow. Phillip Elchitz, airport development manager at YLW, said the new baggage facility will have the most advanced baggage screening equipment available today. With construction slated to start in June, the new baggage hall is expected to be complete by 2018. As part of that project, the existing baggage area will be rejuvenated as part of a plan to create more office space for airlines behind the existing check-in area in the airport terminal. Samaddar said the terminal’s check-in area will also be renovated and enlarged. Check-in is located in the oldest part of the terminal building, which dates back to 1967. The total cost of the three-phase, three-year baggage, terminal and check-in area improvement work will be $40 million. In addition, the airport will also improve the departures area, the plane and runway de-icing plant and three areas on the airside portion of the facility, one taxiway and two aircraft parking aprons. The total cost for that will be $15.4 million. With future growth in mind, the air-side operations will be built to a standard that could accommodate some of the largest aircraft currently in use, said Samaddar. YLW has experienced unprecedented growth in the last 10 years and is currently riding a 25-month run of record-breaking numbers. It hit its 2015 target of serving 1.6 million passengers in 2014, one year ahead of schedule. Samaddar said YLW is expanding as growth dictates and as a self-financing, municipally owned entity, it will pay for the improvements by raising revenue through its $15 per outbound passenger airport improvement fee, not by using city funds. In addition to the terminal and air-side improvements, another planned addition at the airport, to be started this year, will be a project dubbed the airport plaza. Costing a total of $5 million and built in two phases, the airport plaza will be paid for by Royal Star Enterprises, the company that operates parking and valet parking at the airport. It will include an Esso gas station, two restaurants and retail space on a one-acre plot just off the Highway 97 entrance. —with files from Alistair Waters
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
BY MIKE STRAUS When most of us think of our school days, the first thing we remember is the curriculum. But at Aberdeen Hall, academics are only one piece of a comprehensive education designed to prepare students for success in a rapidly changing world. With a highly diverse student population, a thriving arts program, a variety of character development opportunities for students and an inspiring facility, Aberdeen Hall empowers students to develop a well-rounded set of skills that will be of great service both to them and the community. As Kelowna’s growing population and new industries place new demands on citizens, it will become increasingly important for young people to have a dynamic education that empowers self-guided learning—Aberdeen Hall is meeting that need.
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Aberdeen Hall Promotes a Well-Rounded Education
for the 21st Century “We constantly try to educate students that they have certain privileges, but with privileges come responsibilities,” says Chris Grieve, Aberdeen Hall Head of School. “We want to create citizens who are interested in contributing to their communities. We talk about getting the best preparation possible for the next stage of education. Getting in (to a university) is one thing, but success is entirely different. We’re focused on success.” Grieve says that a rapidly growing community like Kelowna offers lots of opportunities to the many families who are moving here, and with those opportunities come responsibilities. At Aberdeen Hall, community service is simply part of daily life. “We’re lucky to have a dynamic, personal community where we know each family individually.” An independent school contributes to the region’s growth in more ways than simply preparing students for future success in the Okanagan. “We’re one of the few non-religious independent schools in Kelowna,” he says. “Real estate agents tell us that when professionals are consid-
ering a move to Kelowna, an independent school is high on their list of preferred amenities. The recent growth in the number of professionals, entrepreneurs, and UBC professors means that demand for an independent school has reached critical mass. We were a bit ahead of the curve at Aberdeen Hall for a city of this size, but now the curve has caught up to us.” This increasing demand for an independent school, Grieve says, is what has led the school to create its new senior campus. “The Senior School is a state-of-the-art facility with 16 teaching spaces and a three-level dining area with beautiful valley views. We opened the facility just a few weeks ago. The Senior School houses specialized classrooms like language labs, modern science labs, a sound studio for music composition classes, and a design studio with 3D printers and a new digital arts centre.” Aberdeen Hall’s official Senior School grand opening is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 9. The event is open to all community members.
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Celebrating community support
BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE AT OKANAGAN COLLEGE
Monday morning, I wake up and emerged from the evolving Jim Pattison Centre of Excellence say ‘It’s Monday! I get to go back. I post-secondary landscape at the Penticton Campus in 2011. get to learn.’ A donor’s generosity in the region. In June of 2014, work began is one of the reasons why I am able Much has changed in on new $33-million trades trainto do that. Someone has chosen the intervening decade. ing complex in Kelowna. The provto invest in my future. There are no The college has grown incial government has commitwords to describe how grateful I substantially to apted $28 million to the project; am for that.” proximately 7,000 full-time the Okanagan College Founda“Community support has been equivalent students today tion launched the Bright Horizons, integral to the growth of Oka(more than 19,000 people Building for Skills Campaign in OcASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE STUDENT ANGIE nagan College and will continue take courses at OC annutober to raise an additional $7 milPINCHBECK, 2015 RECIPIENT OF THE to be,” says Okanagan College ally). And so too has comlion—$5 million for capital conCANADIAN ABORIGINAL /FIRST NATION president Jim Hamilton. “We’re munity support grown. struction and $2 million for proFICTION WRITING AWARD, IS ONE OF APPROXIMATELY 1,500 ABORIGINAL very proud of the growth of our Witness the size of the gram and student support. The STUDENTS ENROLLED AT OKANAGAN programs and the access we have Okanagan College Founnew complex will accommodate COLLEGE. been able to provide for students dation endowment, which more than 2,400 students per year has built to and is seeking to meet Tyler Tetlock is working only $7.9 milLEED Platinum and Livsteps away from where he trained lion from $5.2 miling Building Challenge OKANAGAN COLLEGE ALUMNI TYLER TETLOCK, A RED SEAL CARPENTER, AT THE TRADES TRAINING COMPLEX to become a Red Seal carpenter a lion. And the instandards, making it one CONSTRUCTION SITE. TETLOCK IS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT few years ago. vestment in stuof the most sustainable FOR PCL CONSTRUCTION. As assistant superintendent with dent support has post-secondary buildings PCL Construction, he’s now helping kept pace too: in in North America. build the facilities that will train the the last decade Support for the camnext generation of tradespeople at nearly $9 million in paign from has been pheOkanagan College’s Kelowna camscholarships and nomenal, says Hamilton. pus. It’s a coincidence that’s not lost bursaries have One of the most inspiring on the career construction profesbeen disbursed examples has come from sional. to Okanagan Colwithin: a $100,000 dona“It’s amazing to see how the college students. tion by Okanagan College lege has grown and changed, even That support resStudents’ Union (OCSU). in the short time since I was a stuonates with stuThe students’ union also dent,” says Tetlock. dents. donated nearly $37,000 The expanded and renovated “The fact that towards the Centre of Extrades complex is the latest chapter people want to cellence in 2011. in the institution’s evolving history. support my education means so “With its donation, the OkaAnd Tetlock is just one of the in the region. much,” says Angie Pinchbeck, nagan College Students’ Union is approximately 23,000 people who “Our mission is to transform an Associate of Science student, contributing to the students and have received credentials from the lives and communities, but that is who received the Canadian Abthe generations to come,” explains college since 2005, when the latest something we cannot fully achieve original /First Nation Fiction WritHamilton. “We are very proud and iteration of Okanagan College without strong buy-in from our suring Award earlier this year. “Every appreciative of the fact that our rounding communities. The way students have chosen to invest in the people of the region have the future of their college.” stepped up to support our stuLots of Sale And, in a different way, alumnus Items, too! dents, help us grow our campuses, and proud tradesperson Tetlock is and provide so many opportunities doing the same thing as he helps for collaboration is very affirming.” build the facilities that will take the Support from the community college into the next chapter in its Feature grippy rubber with toothy lugs, has contributed to some remarkfuture. snug heels and rugged uppers. able developments at Okanagan “Okanagan College helped preMEN’S & $ LADIES’ College’s four campuses in Kelowpare me for my career, so I’m very MODELS ..... from na, Penticton, Vernon, and Salmon proud to help build a space where Arm, since 2005. Highlights inthousands of others will train to3 FLOORS OF OUTDOOR GEAR! clude the opening of the $28-milwards a career in the trades.” lion Centre for Learning at the KeMore information about Oka160 Dougall Rd. N. Kelowna (Behind Pizza Hut on Hwy. 33) lowna Campus in September 2009 nagan College is available at the 250.765.9548 • www.outdoorsuperstore.ca and the opening of the $28-million website okanagan.bc.ca.
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Like walking into a
Garden of Eden
BY DANIELA INFANTY If you have never been to Okanagan Koi & Water Gardens, then you’ve really missed something amazing! Not only do they have incredible demonstration gardens, but they have a myriad of different ponds filled with friendly Koi fish. Under the advice of some friends who have a Koi pond, I decided to go take a look. The sheer enthusiasm in their voice as they excitedly spoke about “how great it is there” and “how helpful the Koi Lady was” would have been enough to peak my interest. After all, I have wanted to put a pond in the backyard for a few years now, but the time hadn’t been right. This spring is the time, and I’m finally going to do it! So, off to “The Koi place” I went. You know how you can tell you are at the right place, right
when you pull up? Well, that’s how I felt while parking my car. I could see two waterfalls and another one mid-construction, and that was just in the parking lot! On one side of the parking area, there is the Koi Shop, and on the other end, you are greeted by a gorgeous Japanese style gate. Through that gate, there are nine ponds and water features, all joined together by easy walking paths. It really was like walking into a Garden of Eden, complete with squirrels and other creatures running around. Not only was I completely impressed by the ponds themselves, but the sheer number of friendly Koi fish displayed, was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I found myself sitting by one of the ponds, kind of lost in thought about my own pond project. The sound of the waterfalls was very relaxing and quite inspiring. I even found myself making a few trips to the fish food dispenser, because it was so much fun feeding the Koi. At the end of my “pond tour” I went over to the shop and met with the “Koi Lady” that my friends raved about. Dayleen is the owner of
Okanagan Koi, and was every bit the expert my friends said. She gave me more information and advice in the time we spoke, than I’ve gotten in years of looking online. Her passion and knowledge is very evident and I’m truly inspired to get digging my pond. I had no idea that Kelowna was home to such an amazing place! I had no idea that Okanagan Koi has been nominated twice as the best attraction in the Okanagan. They are also the largest Koi and pond destination in Canada! So, if you’ve ever thought about having Koi or a water feature, you really must go see them first. They have literally thousands of Koi fish, Goldfish, aquatic plants and everything you’d ever need to build your own pond. And if you don’t want to do the work yourself, then the Koi Lady can do it for you. Okanagan Koi & Water Gardens is located at 1605 Garner Rd., up Highway 33, just past Springfield Road. The shop is open seven days a week, March to November. The gardens open to the public May 1 and you can visit them online at okanagankoi.com or call 250-765-5641.
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Buy Direct Truck Centre A division of Kelowna Hyundai, Buy Direct Truck Centre is the Okanagan’s largest dealership for used vehicles. When the dealership opened in September 2013, it aimed at targeting truck enthusiasts by proudly offering models from Dodge, Ram, Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, and GMC. No matter your personality or lifestyle, Buy Direct Truck Centre had the
pre-owned truck to suit your needs. In November 2014, after a successful first year of business, Buy Direct Truck Centre expanded to also include a large array of used cars and suvs. The success of the dealership has been a combination of factors, from constantly listening and meeting customer needs and wants, to pricing vehicles competitively, to having a great team that values their customers. With over 250 trucks, cars and suvs in stock, and financing options available regardless of past credit history, Buy Direct Truck Centre is affiliated with Kelowna Hyundai and
Maple Ridge Hyundai, which allows them to access over 250 used import trucks, cars and suvs. In addition to a large inventory of vehicles, the dealership has a unique approach to every customer’s application because they understand that everyone’s credit situation is different. Their team of expert Finance Managers have the knowledge and tools that can help you get behind the wheel. They are able to offer clients the best interest rates available to them by maintaining a close relationship with all major lending institutions, as well as offering their very own in-house leasing. In addition, Buy Direct Truck Centre offers wholesale vehicles to the public. With over 100 wholesale vehicles price below $5,000, they have a vehicle for everyone. Check out buydirecttruckcentre.com for their inventory of wholesale and retail vehicles. In May 2015, they will be hosting their 2nd annual Operation 200 promotion. The goal of Operation 200 is to sell 200 vehicles between Buy Direct Truck Centre and Kelowna Hyundai during the month of May, resulting in a donation of $10,000 to a local charity. Last year they donated $10,000 to the Interior Heart and Surgical Centre for
new equipment. To guarantee they reach their target, they have reduced the price on all their cars, trucks, and suvs. Owner, John Kot, and managing partner, Guy Lemieux are confident that every customer will find a vehicle they want, at an unbeatable price. Stop in today and visit General Sales Manager, Paul Sievwright to find out why everyone is driving away in their
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
For over 60 years, Bylands has stood for quality, selection, family and community.
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beauty in your garden. New Rutland Facility BY MIKE STRAUS To accommodate growth, Boyd Autobody is moving out of its Highway 33 location to a larger facility. For the past five years, Boyd Autobody has been running at maximum capacity, according to co-founder Methal Abougoush. That’s why, after 14 years in business, the auto shop is moving to a new location at the southwest corner of McCurdy Road and Highway 97. “We’re making this move for two reasons,” Abougoush says. “First, we’ve simply outgrown our current facility. The new facility is twice the size of our current facility, and we also think it’s a better location. Second, the city won’t grant us a permit to expand. If something catastrophic like a fire happened, the city wouldn’t allow us to rebuild and re-open.” Abougoush notes that the move
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will bring a variety of benefits to the brand, including higher visibility and the ability to offer new services. “With this new facility, we’ll be able to address new challenges— which includes repairing aluminum pickup trucks like the new Ford F-150. We’re seeing a lot of the new F-150s on the road, and our Rutland location in particular is servicing a large volume of them.” Abougoush says the new aluminum vehicles require separate maintenance areas in order to prevent cross contamination between steel and aluminum. “There are also ventilation and
storage issues to consider. So this new, state-of-the-art facility will allow us to repair aluminum vehicles without worrying about ventilation or cross contamination.” Boyd Autobody’s growth is one example of the economic growth Kelowna has experienced in recent years, and Abougoush says that the influx of new businesses—and entirely new industries—to the Okanagan is cause to celebrate. “The Okanagan has survived on tourism for so long that it’s been hard for young people to find jobs that let them stay in the valley. It’s great to see that we’ve turned a corner and gone in a direction where there’s industry. Only positive things can come from bringing industry to the Okanagan.” For Boyd Autobody and other local auto shops, though, a growing industrial base may create a need that individual shops can’t meet. “I think attracting talent is going to be a problem for several businesses in Kelowna,” Abougoush says. “I chair the advisory committee for the Okanagan College apprenticeship program. The plumbing, welding and electrical programs seem to be overfilled, but the collision and paint program isn’t. A lot of people don’t realize that there are good paying jobs in the automotive sector.” Abougoush says that as long as the industry and the community can continue attracting top talent, Kelowna will manage its growth well. “The Okanagan has such a desirable climate and landscape. We won’t see a decline in growth. We have our ups and downs, but I think the City Council and the community leaders are opening up opportunities for business owners. I think that if we’re open-minded and continue in this direction, we’ll see nothing but good things to come.”
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
Kitchen
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Every now and then, something comes along that is so innovative it makes you wonder why nobody thought of it before. Granite Transformations is one of those inspired ideas. The company got its start in Australia in 1996. Its first North American franchises opened in 2001, and was followed by a decade of explosive growth that led to more than 300 branches worldwide including Europe, the United States and Canada. Kelowna franchise owner Greg Brown recalls the first time he came across a Granite Transformations product. “It looked like a piece of slab granite that had been hollowed out to be able to be installed overtop of a laminate countertop, thus reducing the need for tear-out and all the nasty stuff that goes along with that,” said Brown. “I just really thought that the product was ingenious.” The surfaces created by Granite Transformations are specifically engineered for each application using products that are 95 per cent granite and five per cent proprietary polymer that permanently seals the stone. As the polymer acts as a sealant, homeowners don’t have to worry about bacteria that can form in naturally porous stone surfaces. Creating an outstandingly safe and virtu-
ally maintenance free counter. The combination forms a surface stronger and more durable than traditional granite or quartz. The natural stone used in the process is typically recycled from slab granite mining operations using the material left behind that is otherwise waste product. Thusly making it a much more environmentally friendly solution than traditional applications. Brown says this practise keeps over 18 million pounds of waste out of landfills every year. Yet perhaps the biggest benefit is how little disruption installation causes. In a renovation scenario, the ¼ inch thick real stone product is installed on top of the current countertop, erasing the need to tear apart the kitchen and creating a more durable surface. “People are really averse to having their lives disrupted with major renovations. Because of the way that they fabricate and install this product, most of our jobs are done inside of one day,” said Brown. While the product offers installation advantages, a big part of the process comes from the team that has developed since Brown founded his first Alberta franchise originally based in Airdrie nearly five years ago. Since then, Brown has grown into both the Calgary and Kelowna markets. Kelowna branch manager Tami
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www.kelownacapnews.com Z11 Weller heads up the company’s day-to-day operBEFORE ations in Kelowna working within a staff of five to provide the highest level of service possible. “We certainly pride ourselves on customer service,” said Weller. “Not always easy but still very important to AFTER us. We have a real team environment here. Everyone here is sort of like a little family, I know that’s cliché, but it really is. We’re all working together to build up this business because we believe in it. That level of dedication is on full display in Granor accents. ite Transformations’ new The cabinet refacing option is anshowroom at 100-740 McCurdy Rd. other clever service where the proin Kelowna. Customers are greeted cess involves leaving the existing to an array of product displays that cabinet boxes intact, but giving fresh show off everything from counterlife with new doors and functionality tops and shower walls to fireplaces, enhancements. backsplash and cabinet options. You get a complete makeover at Along with granite and about half the cost of a traditional glass-granite countertops, the comtearout. pany also offers tile products, includFor more information, call 778ing artfully crafted mosaic tiles, which 753-1733 or visit www.granitetrasare often used in conjunction with formations.com/kelowna. countertops to create backsplashes
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Kelowna Cycle launches ‘The Hub’ IN RESPONSE TO LOCAL DEMAND
BY MIKE STRAUS Recovering from fire, this 70-year-old Kelowna business has opened a new store for cyclists. Not even extensive fire damage and the loss of most of their inventory could keep Kelowna Cycle closed for too long. The business has been a popular destination for cyclists since the 1940s, and now, with Kelowna’s continued population growth, it’s proven itself to be a pillar of the community. “Kelowna’s growth has gotten us much more involved in the community,” says Patrick Rosen, who has owned the store since 2008. “We’re now doing two to four bike rodeos every year with School District 23. We’re also very involved in events like Bike To Work Week, as well as our own events like the Kamikaze Downhill and weekly time trials.” Rosen says that for Kelowna Cycle, the support of a growing community of cyclists is enabling the business to give back in new and fun ways. For the past five
years, Rosen and his team of cycling experts have fixed old worn out bicycles and donated them to charities. “Last year we gave away 18 bikes,” he says. “It’s a fun project. We’ve donated bikes to the Gospel Mission, the Kelowna Women’s Shelter, the Canadian Mental Health Association and even local schools like Raymer Elementary.” Kelowna Cycle also freely provides bicycles to families in need and has a helmet giveaway program for children. For Rosen and the Kelowna Cycle team, this charity program has a personal motivation. “We’re trying to get people on bikes because it’s an opportunity for them to get places, possibly to a job, and to give them some freedom. We help people who need help. I came from a modest upbringing, so I know what it’s like to have to go without.” Helping people in need is exactly why Kelowna Cycle sponsors the Ride Don’t Hide event, a fundraiser for the Canadian Mental Health Association. Kelowna Cycle, Rosen says, believes firmly that riding a bicycle is an easy way to live a healthy lifestyle and combat mental illness. That’s why they’ve been involved in the event since its first year.
Kelowna Cycle has also recognized that Kelowna seems to have a definite need for a bike shop in the central city. A growing number of professionals, Rosen says, now want to park their cars and bike to work instead. These professionals may ride for a variety of reasons—to improve their health, to help the environment, or simply to save on the cost of fuel—but they all need a central hub where they can meet with like-minded people and find the best cycling gear and safety equipment. “Kelowna is a fantastic place to ride a bike,” Rosen says, “and more people coming to Kelowna want to get active. For Kelowna Cycle, a growing city means a lot of things. Most importantly, it means investing more effort into making more people aware that cycling is a great lifestyle.”
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Across our daythe tofood produce the Okanagan Valley, tree fruit growers Across ourbeautiful beautiful Okanagan Valley, tree fruit growers work eachwork day toeach produce
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PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
www.kelownacapnews.com Z13
Best Western advocates for sustainable local growth
with an Okanagan flavour
BY MIKE STRAUS Best Western Kelowna owner Greg Salloum is leading the charge for sustainable, environmentally friendly business growth through large-scale green initiatives. Since 2002, the Kelowna Best Western hotel has been a local leader in sustainability and a business with a reputation for being green. That year, owner Greg Salloum invested in a solar-powered water o heater for the hotel that can heat over 80,000 litres of water. Nearly 90 per cent of the hotel’s water— in its swimming pool, hot tubs, and 154 guest rooms—is heated with solar energy during the summer, while the solar heating system can supply 60 per cent of the hotel’s hot water needs all winter. With an estimated energy savings of $30,000 per year, Salloum has proven that what’s good for the environment is also good for business. Extra capital means Best Western and other green businesses can reinvest their savings into other business needs and run a leaner operation. But for Salloum, being green isn’t about the money. It’s about managing economic growth in an environmentally responsible manner. “Endless growth isn’t progress if it harms the environment we live in. In order to be successful, growth has to be sustainable.
We’re in a desert and we could be using a lot less water than we are. There’s so much waste that could be reduced through bylaws and environmental initiatives.” That’s why Best Western invests in products like low-flow toilets, reduced volume showerheads, non-toxic cleaning agents, and a recycling bin in every room. It’s these simple measures that make the brand’s growth sustainable. For Best Western, sustainable growth is a major priority—and Salloum believes it should be a priority for the community as well. “As the Okanagan continues to grow, we’re going to see transportation challenges. I think we’ll eventually see some kind of light rapid transit up and down the valley. There’s opportunity for that— there’s a transit corridor between Kelowna and Vernon that isn’t currently being used. It wouldn’t just be good for residents, it would be good for attracting tourists.” Salloum has worked hard to create a variety of environmental initiatives at Best Western, including a new LEED-Certified Environmental wing. This wing of the hotel offers rooms that use geothermal heating, e-glass windows that provide better insulation, and door switches that automatically shut down the heating and cooling vent when the door to a room is open. The Best Western Hotel also offers three charging stations
for electric vehicles that are complimentary for all guests. Salloum believes sustainable growth demand better planning. “I’m hoping the Central Okanagan will develop its own architectural style. The Craftsman style isn’t appropriate for our climate—I think a Greek or Italian style would provide better climate control and be more sustainable.
It would be nice if government at all levels took the lead instead of leaving sustainability to the private sector, because some of the most effective sustainability projects require more development before they can be rolled out.”
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Everything you need for
successful gardening
When Adrian and Katie Byland started their fledging nursery on a few acres of rented land they would not have imagined what it would grow into 60 years later. Adrian and Katie have since passed away and for the past 35 years Bylands has been under the care of John and Maria Byland. The nursery has grown from a few acres to over 500 with farms in the Fraser Valley, Coldstream area and several locations in the Central Okanagan. The combined employment of the nursery and Garden Centre is over 200 people at its peak. The nursery is one of the most diversified in Canada growing a wide variety of products including shade trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and evergreens. They also grow thousands of fruit trees per year for the local orchard industry. Last year, more than 500 truckloads of plants were shipped to customers throughout Canada and the US. The nursery prides itself on being very progressive and environmental friendly. This was recognized when in 2001 Bylands Nursery won the prestigious AIPH “Nursery of the Year Award” for the entire world.
With the involvement of Mike Byland, a third generation family member as well as a team of dedicated capable staff, the Bylands family tradition will carry on for years to come. Bylands has always been a progressive company and nowhere have the change been more profound than that at Bylands Garden Centre. Gone are the days when a Garden Centre sold plants on a seasonal basis. Bylands today is so much more, selling a wide array of gifts, woman accessories and home décor as well as operating a full-range florist. Bylands also sells bulk soils as well as vast selection of plants (many of which are grown by its own nursery), fertilizers, tools, pots and everything else you need for successful gardening. With the popularity of growing your own food and growing local increasing, Bylands has expanded this area with the larger selection of vegetables, herbs, small fruits and fruit trees. Bylands are proud of their past and the 60 years they have been in business but also recog-
(BEFORE) BYLANDS NURSERY CIRCA 1964, ORIGINAL RETAIL STORE, STORAGE BUILDING AND APPLE ORCHARD.
(AFTER) BYLANDS NURSERY AND GARDEN CENTRE, 2004, GARDEN CENTRE, STORAGE BUILDINGS, ADMINISTRATION BUILDING AND SHIPPING AREA
nize that for Bylands to be in business in another 60 years they must constantly adapt to an ever changing market place without ever forgetting the roots they came from.
WE STARTED FROM THE BOTTOM... NOW WE’RE HERE! Part of our growing Community for 41 years
* Based on 2014 Year to Date and 2015 First Quarter
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INNOVATION CENTRE
on track to a dynamic future
JEAN RUSSELL Bulldozers have barely scrapped the surface, but the Okanagan Centre for Innovation in downtown Kelowna sees a bright future ahead. Jeff Keen is the public voice for the high tech business idea incubator. He says a unique aspect of the project is the range of interested parties getting involved. In addition to seed funding from the B.C. government, the Innovation Centre is working with local organizations such as both the University of B.C. Okanagan and Okanagan College, the Okanagan Econom-
ic Development Commission, local governments as well as social network and venture capital entrepreneurs. “We’ll leverage everyone’s marketing capabilities,” Keen said, to spread the word and draw the people with the most innovative ideas and energy toward the centre. “It will be driven by a wide range of community partners.” The incubator part of the enterprise will take place primarily on the second floor of the six-storey building, at the corner of Ellis Street and Doyle Avenue in Kelowna, beside the downtown Kelowna library. That’s where Accelerate Okanagan will be the key tenant. The building itself will be as high-tech as they come, making sure the requirements of innovators are met. There will be shared space where ideas can flow, entrepreneurs can meet and the community can get involved with the process and its results. A presentation space is planned, with re-
tractable walls to accommodate small and large meetings, or open to the artium within. “We want maximum community engagement,” Keen said, “and maximum community benefit.” But the heady ebb and flow of exciting new developments will need anchoring. That’s where the rest of the facility comes into play. Long-term tenants will lease space in the upper four floors, while at street-level there will be retail businesses like coffee shops and such. While he wouldn’t divulge which tenants had signed-up just yet, Keen said 30 per cent of the space is committed, with another 40 per cent of lease deals pending. He described the characteristic as being companies with vision dealing in knowledge technologies. “The idea is to get the community into the building,” Keen said. Construction of the Innovation Centre his expected to start in the next three weeks, with the completion date set for the fall of 2016.
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
LAKE COUNTRY
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PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
Marshall Business Center
www.kelownacapnews.com Z17
FUTURE HOME OF BROCKWHITE
822 McCurdy Place
Across from Grand 10 and the Brick - Come & Join Harley Davidson, Banner Sports, Honda & Chris Craft!! New 11,000 sq ft Summer 2015
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Z18 www.kelownacapnews.com
Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Okanagan continues to be a top vacation destination
By Kathy Michaels Alberta’s economy may be less robust than days past, but it hasn’t hurt Okanagan tourism just yet. Room nights booked in local hotels and motels was up four per cent last year and the revenue those bookings generated rose by nine per cent, said Nancy Cameron, the CEO of Tourism Kelowna. Expectations that the upward trend will continue in the year ahead are high, despite economic struggles with the valley’s most reliable pool of visitors. Coun. Brad Sieben raised this issue at a recent council meeting when he asked Cameron whether Alberta’s recent reversal of fortune would have on the local economy. She said her inside sources were quite positive about what’s to come, but they have their eyes open. “It’s something we’re monitoring,” Cameron said. What may just help keep the flow of tourists coming to the Okanagan is the growing disparity between the US and Canadian dollar.
Cameron explained that US travellers only account for three to five per cent of all visits to the valley, so if that acts as a disincentive to heading this way it won’t really hurt local business. But, the high dollar could be cause for Albertans to not cross the line, choosing instead to spend their dollars on a sunny Okanagan mini break. Although there are forces at play that Tourism Kelowna can’t do much about, Cameron said they have exerted their influence on the marketplace in a number of different ways, including bringing high profile events to the city. Of note is the Great Okanagan Beer Festival, which is set to take place later this year. Also, there has been a great deal of ink spilled extolling the virtues of Kelowna in national and international publications. A large part of Cameron’s presentation hinged on the fact that the tourism organization has spent some of its budget on hosting journalists, and that’s paid off in spades. By her estimates the best value
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per dollar comes from getting a journalist or blogger, who’s well respected and considered credible by their readership to share their first hand view of the city. As such, the city hosted 102 travel
journalists and bloggers last year. “They produced 129 articles for a circulation of over 25 million,” said Cameron. “If we had to purchase that space it would be more than $2 million.”
Local firm fills the gap for retiring trade workers As of 2015, 48 per cent of the Canadian workforce is estimated to be between 45 and 64 years of age. That means there will be shortfall of qualified applicants to step in for retiring trades workers, a gap that firms such as Taylor Pro Training in Kelowna are trying to address. Whether you are preparing for a position within mining, oil rigs or road construction, Taylor Pro Training has several heavy equipment training programs to assist you in preparing for your future career. Taylor Pro Training Ltd has developed over the years from a one instructor and one truck company to a driver training and heavy equipment training facility. The company also offers: • Instructor Training (Become a Drive Instructor) • 16-Hour Certified Air Brake Training Program • 20-Hour Certified Air Brake Course including ICBC assessment • Professional Driver Improvement Course. The experiences Taylor Pro instructors have incurred driving both on- and off-highway trucks and heavy equipment ensure that applicants are in the competent hands of a true professional. Taylor Pro teaches its students a safe and confident method of operating through a variety of programs. Taylor Pro Training has been providing B.C.’s trucking industry with a large portion of its professional drivers since 2003. Taylor Pro, an ITA designated school, also can offer a 21-week heavy equipment foundation ap-
prenticeship program along with other heavy equipment training programs to meet an individual’s future career needs. The commercial drive and heavy equipment industry is already experiencing a shortage of skilled operators in B.C. and Alberta. All the courses are conducted at Taylor Pro’s training site in Kelowna. In the provincial government’s Labour Market Outlook 2022 report, transport truck drivers were identified as number two in the top 10 most-needed professions. It’s estimated that the province will need a whopping 18,000 drivers by 2022. “Those numbers are staggering,” says Steve Moores, Okanagan College’s Dean of Trades and Apprenticeship. “But the college is partnering with both industry and the government to fill that gap and provide workers with the skills they need to be competitive in the future.” To that end, Okanagan College joined forces seven years ago with Taylor Pro Training to offer Class one Driver Training. This experiential, full-time program covers the broad range of hands-on skills necessary to find employment as a transport truck driver and can be completed in just six weeks. What’s more, the provincial government, realizing this looming shortage, has provided full funding for the program to eligible applicants through the Canada-British Columbia Job Fund. Of the 32 students who participated last year in the tuition-free program, 29 found employment in the trucking industry.
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
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BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
BUILDING FOR SKILLS THE BRIGHT HORIZONS BUILDING FOR SKILLS CAMPAIGN Okanagan College has embarked on a $33-million renovation and expansion of its Trades Training Complex. When doors open in spring of 2016, the new complex will accommodate more than 2,400 students per year. We are aiming to meet LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge standards, to construct one of the most sustainable post-secondary education facilities in North America. Our goal is to build a place for learning that our community will be proud of – now and in 50 years. But this project is about much more than just a building. It’s about building futures. Because you can’t take a step out of your front door without encountering something that tradespeople have poured the foundation for, framed, welded, wired, plumbed, or shaped. Tradespeople do more than build the places where we live, work, and learn—they help build our communities. Now it’s your turn. Help us build a strong foundation for the future of trades training in the Okanagan.
This stunning new trades training complex will attract thousands of students to train here, work here, and live here. We want to let people know that by supporting this project, you can help us build bright futures. You can truly make a difference in a student’s life.” - Mike Roberts Campaign Ambassador
Support the Bright Horizons Building for Skills Campaign. Donate today to help us reach our $7-million fundraising goal.
www.okanagan.bc.ca/campaign
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Z20 www.kelownacapnews.com
Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Developers taking notice of new additions in Kelowna BY BARRY GERDING In looking for a positive sign of commercial land investment in Kelowna, one need look no further than the re-emergence of the Marshall Business Centre. It is a development that kicked off 10 years ago, taking over what for many years was the site of the Marshall feedlot, adjacent to Highway 97 and McCurdy Roas. “It came on stream back in 2008 and then the real estate market went flat,” said Gordon Anton, a Re/Max commercial realtor who has developer clients involved in the Marshall Business Centre. “And that kind of followed the economy generally going flat here. But what is interesting now is after five or six years, we are starting to see investment activity again.” Anton said the City of Kelowna was helpful last year by agreeing to adjust the zoning on the in-
side lots of the business centre ring road from I1 to I2 zoning. “Switching to I2 opens it up for allowing outside storage, but that zoning is also generally more flexible than I1 and with the general change in the market, developers are ready to do deals now,” he said. “Someone willing to pay $800,000 for a lot and put up a spec building for leased space shows a greater confidence in our economy coming back.” Among the businesses now located within the Marshall Business Centre are Harley Davidson, Konquer, Cap-It, Leavitt Machinery, Kelowna Honda Powerhouse, Wizard Lake Marine and Gescan. He points to several new additions to our city which developers have taken note of—growth in the downtown core with a new RCMP detach-
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ment planned, new Interior Health office building and parked, Innovation Centre under construction, new downtown waterfront hotel in the pre-construction planning stage as positive signs, as is the proposed six-laning of Highway 97 from Costco to Edwards Avenue, called a priority project by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation, and the Peremeter Road alternate route to Crawford Estates, and the ongoing development of UBC Okanagan. “There has been a lull in the market for six or seven years, but what that does is create a pent up demand. It looks like a flurry of activity all of a sudden, but really it’s just another cycle in the real estate industry, where you are seeing confidence from developers, and you have businesses
Marshall
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29 seeing the opportunity to move to new premises and adding another 500 to 1,000 square-feet of space. “So after having a soft market for those years, it’s becoming a healthy market again. Not that we are going to see another big boom cycle, but it’s just a better balance.” Anton said the commercial land market is always five to six months behind residential when changes occur in the real estate market, so when home sales started picking up in the latter half of last year and continued this spring, the commercial property developers were logically soon to follow. He says the combination of Kelowna being a community of more than 120,000 that won’t stop growing, continued low mortgage interest rates, upgraded infrastructure and transportation networks and a great climate give the region just too much going for it to not succeed in the long-term. Anton, who grew up in Kelowna, returned here in 1981 to start his career as a realtor. “I started out in
www.kelownacapnews.com Z21
1981 and I would never want to go through that again. Interest rates were 18 to 20 per cent in 1981, ‘82, ‘83, and as a people person it was hard to me to watch people lose their houses. They weren’t doing anything differently, the market just changed,” he said. While real estate pundits have been talking about a rise in interest rates for the last five years, so far the Bank of Canada has held off pursuing that option, something that Anton says is positive for homeowners and commercial land investors. “What we have now is a good, healthy real estate market, which is good for everyone. I remember my dad telling me when the Coquihalla Connector opened up, how that would do (for Kelowna) what building Rogers Pass in 1961 did for opening up Alberta. He said we should feel comfortable about the future of this valley because development is not going to stop. It has just too much going for it. “We live in a great place.”
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When is the right time to consider
home care for my loved one?
Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015 BY BARRY GERDING That is a question frequently asked by many in the Central Okanagan as the region’s communities see their populations continue to grow, due in no small part to seniors coming here from the Lower Mainland, the prairies and further east from Ontario to retire. That sign of progress—more people moving here—also raises challenges for our local health care system when many of those folks are retired. In most cases, there is a ‘trigger event’ or occurrence that signals a greater need for home care, both for a client and for the family and friends who may be increasingly challenged by the responsibilities of providing support. The Kelowna franchise for We Care Home Health Services is an example of one local private home care health service operator helping local residents from Peachland to Lake Country face those difficult decisions. Franchise director Charlene Pears, a registered nurse by training, and her husband Brad took over the business in 2007. “My connection with
the business had been to do some marketing for the previous owners, and when they came to us with the idea of buying the franchise, we worked out a deal,” Pears said. “At that time, we had a staff of about 11 and were located on Richter Street, and we’ve since moved to our new location (corner of Dickson and Kirschner) and we have grown to five times that.” Achieving that growth didn’t come without what Pears refers to as a “lot of blood, sweat and tears” in trying to survive and grow the business. Some successes along the way that contributed to the growth of the Kelowna We Care office included acquiring another homecare company’s community division and good relationships with the local health authority leading to multiple contracts with IHA, and, most recently implementing an interim support service called Quick Response. That initiative called for We Care to provide transition homecare for clients that were being kept in the hospital because of a lack of at-home support services, whether from family members or private service providers. “The idea of Quick Response is to get people out of the hospital who don’t have to be there, who needed personal care at home rather than clogging up a needed hospital bed,” Pears said. Pears said that the initial seven month pilot project for Quick Response resulted in substantial savings to the Kelowna Interior Health Region. “The end result is it was a win-win for everyone.” As a result the program was instituted with We Care
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contracted to provide two weeks of initial homecare have kids in high school or college, but also have parservice for people released from the hospital, paid ents that require their attention, all the while having a The idea is to get for by Interior Health. full-time job. That is just so overwhelming to deal with. people out of the “It costs about a thousand dollars a day to care for “We can step in to take a load off them with the sersomeone in a hospital bed so this option presented vices we provide and quality of our staff, that can be hospital who don’t a cost savings. such a huge sigh of relief.” have to be there Along with home care services, We Care also Craddock said while private homecare raises cost does drug and alcohol testing for pre-employment, issues, We Care has looked for ways to reduce that and works with home patient care services for Workburden. Safe and ICBC accident victims. “Like most community care companies, we have Pears is passionate about her staff, and having a one hour minimum booking in the community. So worked as a nurse and care aid she knows it takes that can add up if we are checking up on someone four a person who is compassionate, caring, reliable, times a day to make sure they take their medication. friendly and has a healthy dose of common sense to Currently we work in Regency Retirement Resorts offerbe successful in meeting the client’s needs. ing shorter bookings which are more cost-effective for From providing respite care to 24-hour health the clients and their families,” she said. care supervision and everything in between, Pears Craddock says We Care is looking to further expand says the aim of We Care is to provide a high quality that program throughout the four Regency ‘Woods’ reof service whether a short time-frame or a client with long-term needs. sorts in the Central Okanagan. Sarah Craddock, one of the three client care managers, says while Those shorter visits can be applied to not only prescription oversight, Interior Health can take several weeks to meet with someone released from but tasks such as morning and evening care, laundry services and meal eshospital care who needs support at home, We Care can respond to new corts to the dining room if they have mobility issues. clients with a needs assessment quickly and have a care service program in “Sometimes it just takes a little bit of encouragement to help a senior place within 24 hours. retain their sense of independence,” she said. As well, We Care looks to pair up clients consistently with the same serPears said while home health care needs are diverse, the need and device providers to develop a sense of familiarity, as opposed to having a resire to maintain their independence for as long as possible will remain a volving door of care providers showing up at the door day-to-day. challenge that service providers like We Care can be called upon to help “The gratification for us is that we provide our clients a chance to retain alleviate the stress on the hospital medical care system. an independence in their lives. And for me as a care manager, I probably “Sitting with a client or their family members and explaining the process spend 90 per cent of my time dealing with client family members,” of what to do and what options there are for homecare service can certainly Craddock said. ease their fears,” she said. “Not knowing the system is what can be some“We are dealing now with the sandwich generation, parents who still times overwhelming and scary.”
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A place to stop
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BY KEVIN PARNELL When Savas Koutsantonis opened the doors to what has become the goto destination for all things fishing in the Okanagan, it was much different than today’s trendy operation that welcomes anglers of all sorts through its doors everyday in Kelowna. No, 20 years ago Koutstantonis opened Trout Waters Fly & Tackle in West Kelowna, operating a small, 600 square-foot room inside of another business. It was the first of four locations for the company over the past 20 years as Trout Waters has expanded and grown from a quaint little fishing shop to an institution in the area’s angling scene: A place where you just have to stop before heading out on the water. “It just slowly grew as people got to know us better,” said Koutsantonis of those early beginnings when he opened the doors with a couple of employees. “It’s always been about customer service. Bringing in what the customer wants.”
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015 From those early beginnings, Trout Waters Fly & Tackle evolved, not only with a change of scenery but also in the types of product it offers. Over the last two decades the shop has added more clothing and equipment and is a a full-service fishing shop/outfit-
even take them out on a guided tour. “We’ve become kind of like a destination for people,” said Pace. “We’re noticing a lot of people coming in are from the Kamloops area or the Coast or the Kootenays. They come in to find out what’s happening. The most common question is what’s working and where?”
Trout Waters Fly & Tackle owners Savas Koutsantonis (right) and Nick Pace are celebrating the business’ 20th anniversary this year.
ter, offering products, services, and expert advice to the fishing public. It’s moved a few times and finally settled in its current location on Highway 97 with over 3,300 square-feet of retail space. Its customer base extends throughout Canada, with a growing international presence and in recent years has seen an increase in both young people and with women anglers. “We’ve got a lot bigger selection now,” said Koutsantonis, who also now has seven employees. “We have customers from all over the Pacific Northwest. We’ve got a lot of specialty gear that attracts in new customers all the time.” About 10 years ago, Koutsantonis was joined on the ownership side by Nick Pace and together the two are busy helping the fishing public find places to fish, learn how to cast or
A recent and significant development at Trout Waters was the decision to become the Okanagan’s premium Patagonia retailer. Not only does the shop carry the full Patagonia line of fly fishing products, but they also carry a wide range of the brand’s popular men and women’s lifestyle apparel, including the alpine line of insulated clothing. One reason for the partnership with Patagonia was its firm commitment to the environment which is in line with Trout Water’s own philosophy. Offering ladies clothing is another example of how the fishing clientele is changing, said Pace. “There are more ladies interested in fishing,” he said. “We’re really trying to cater to them in terms of proper equipment: Boots and waders and having the proper sizing for ladies to make it more enjoyable and comfortable.” Earlier this month Trout Waters Fly & Tackle welcomed the public for a three day anniversary celebration. The business is located at 2340 Highway 97 and online at troutwaters.ca.
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ReStore opens new location on Enterprise Way BY MIKE STRAUS for a variety of reasons. Being in an industrial area Coming off the heels of a very successful year at makes it easier for the organization to bring in new their West Kelowna location, Habitat for Humanhome décor and building supply products in high ity’s ReStore has just opened a new location on Envolume, while the close proximity to major retailterprise Way. ers means families can casually visit the store as The opening of a new ReStore comes as welpart of their weekend errands rather than making come news for the many families who rely on Habian intentional trip. tat for Humanity for their housing needs, as well Guthrie says she would have preferred to open as the consumers who frequent the West Kelowthe new location earlier, but the property needed na store. extensive renovations. Executive director Deb Guthrie says the new lo“There was lots of work to be done. It’s a very cation was an urgently needed expansion for the big space. We needed to put washroom facilities charity. in, paint the entire space, put “The store in West Kelowwalls up, install an entrance na was doing exceptionalramp for people with moStore builds new 23,000 ly well. We had more prodbility challenges, establish a square-foot facility to uct than we had room for. We cashier vestibule, and put in a meet increasing consumer knew from volunteer fairs in public entrance.” Kelowna that people were She says that with a build demand and to house ready to volunteer for us, but happening in Peachland this growing inventory. they didn’t want to cross the year, the organization’s staff bridge. and volunteers were working “People were asking us around the clock to manage when we were going to open something in Kelowboth projects. Guthrie says that preparing the na, so the timing was perfect.” store was a challenge, and even though the new The ReStore chose the Enterprise Way location facility is 23,000 square-feet in size, she foresees
another expansion in the future. “I think we’ll have the same problem with this facility that we had in West Kelowna. I think we’ll run out of space. In West Kelowna we just had so much inventory that we couldn’t fit in the store, and the last thing we want to see is product going to the landfill.” Although a growing store and a growing brand bring challenges, they also bring opportunities— and Guthrie says the ReStore is primed to take advantage of those opportunities when they come. “The tech boom is going to bring young families to the valley. When we get young people, young families, coming here, I think there will be a need for us to serve them.” “Our rental vacancy rate is just over one per cent. We don’t want a whole valley of renters. We want to ensure that families can get into home ownership. For us, growth means ensuring that these young families have affordable housing.”
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Food bank more than emergency food relief In 1983, the Kelowna Community Food Bank was like hundreds of other church-basement charities popping up across the country. Crammed quarters, lineups out the door, handing out emergency food to friends and neighbours caught in the severe recession. Food bank volunteers giving
Parry. “We are one of many organizations leading the way towards a healthy, sustainable and just food system.” The Join the Food Movement campaign has resulted in numerous new partnerships and game changing initiatives for their clients such as: community gardens, com-
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out what they had, which was often hampers consisting of unhealthy and processed food. Much has changed over the last three decades… The Kelowna food bank moved from the basement of a church to a 10,000 square-foot warehouse, serving approximately 3,000 individuals per month. Over the last 32 years, the Kelowna food bank has become the largest provider of food relief in our community. Last summer, the food bank launched their “Join the Food Movement” campaign. According to executive director Lenetta Parry: “The campaign is about more than food relief. It’s about people working together to reduce hunger through food security, better nutrition, skills building and more.” “Our food bank is about more than emergency food relief,” says
munity kitchens, edible landscaping, improved nutritional initiatives, a unique social enterprise and a focus on sharing resources with 40 partner agencies. “Many of our clients are moving from passive recipients to engaged volunteers, gardeners, cooks and welcoming the opportunity to learn new skills which help their families through challenging times” says Parry. So when you see the food bank’s logo around town, may you be reminded of the incredible community in which we live—a community that cares for its most vulnerable. May you be proud of progress being made in the area of food security. And may you be inspired, personally, to Join the Food Movement The Kelowna food bank is located at 1265 Ellis St.
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29 A Kelowna realtor recently put it best when asked what has been the catalyst for the upswing this year in the local economy: “Take a look at what is happening downtown.” Funding for public infrastructure improvements has been an import-
Growth ant instrument for pushing Kelowna forward over the last five years, a period that has included an economic recession which sent the local real estate industry, commercial and residential, into a downturn. But the upswing began with the city’s $14.3 million upgrade of Bernard Avenue from Richter to the The Sails, done in phases to try and limit the access impact of street construction on downtown businesses with the completion carried out last year. Also completed last year was the $5 million public pier and dayuse marina project at the foot of
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Bernard, which will ultimately complement the new downtown hotel on the site of the old Willow Inn, being built by Edmonton-based Westcorp at the foot of Queensway. That hotel will be a $65 million
cial development, such as restaurants and retail stores. And construction is already underway for the new Innovations Centre, a provincial funding driven project that is expected to be a central hub for the burgeoning
IN DOWNTOWN KELOWNA project, rising up 24-storeys with 206 rooms along with commercial space on the ground floor, adjacent to Kerry Park. Westcorp says the hotel will employ up to 100 people and pump some $20 million into the local economy. Another high-rise tower in the works for the downtown core will house all the Interior Health employees, up to 1,000 people who are currently scattered around difference office and service locations in the Central Okanagan, under one roof. The thought is bringing all the IH employees into the downtown core will then spur further commer-
high-tech industry in the valley. That building has prompted the city to spend $15 million to expand its existing library parked—the Innovation Centre will be located adjacent to the downtown library at Ellis Street and Doyle Avenue— and to service the IH tower, build another parked on what is now the ground-level parking lot for the Kelowna Museum and neighbouring
Memorial Arena. With the downtown core’s north end seeing the construction of a new RCMP detachment and other commercial development on the old packinghouse property, that area is also underling a radical transformation. Overall, Kelowna’s population is projected to grow at an annual rate of 1.51 per cent through to 2030. That growth would translate into 45,485 new residents. That means Kelowna’s population by 2030 is expected to be 161,701. Kelowna’s retiring executive director of business development Jim Paterson has talked in the past about the “four pillar” foundation of the city’s continued growth—UBC Okanagan, Okanagan College, Kelowna General Hospital and the Kelowna International Airport. And with all four in the midst of major site upgrade plans to facilitate future growth, that bodes well for the city’s current positive outlook.
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Extraordinary SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
“When we opened our door to the fire evacuees, I think that kind of literally opened our doors to the community. I think at that point we had two residents who
to be a part of that community spirit that exists here.” The concept of a seniors’ residence The communopening up doors ity rallied to provide of interaction with temporary bedding its community has and toiletries so the been explored at unevacuees could stay precedented levels in the unfurnished by the Heritage Heritage Retirement Resiunits. dence in West “It was Clients can move in on Kelowna. just so inspiran assisted living basis That intering for all of action literalus to be a and when they need ly started bepart of that more health service fore the facility and we just was officially want to consupport, they can get it opened, as the tinue to keep without moving. Brown Road reour doors tirement resiopen to the dence opened community its doors to provide were moved into the to help in any way we temporary housing building. can.” for those evacuated “So we had a lot That attitude has from their homes by of empty suites at shown itself in a varthe Smith Creek Fire that point and we just iety of ways since the in July 2014. opened our doors, Heritage formally “We kind of set and people were so opened it doors last grateful for us doing year. a tradition of wantthat, and we saw firstSince then, Giesing to be part of the hand what a tightbrecht said Heritage community right off knit community West has become a comthe bat,” said MonKelowna is, people munity hub for everyica Geisbrecht, the looking out for each thing from hosting a Heritage assistant other and we wanted firefighter appreciageneral manager.
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tion day to a Christmas craft fair, showing a documentary about volunteering, and provide meeting space for local groups such as West Kelowna Women of Influence and the Probus Club. This summer, Heritage will also host a car show outside their building combined with a community BBQ, and be an active participant in the West Kelowna Christmas Light-Up campaign and the Westside Daze Parade. “It’s an interesting trend to see happen in that residents in senior residences like ours get a chance to have more interaction with the community which I think is a positive thing to see happen,” she said. All this activity doesn’t overshadow, however, the fact that
the Heritage is primarily a 145-unit seniors’ residence, managed by Diversicare Canada, which also manages 35 other retirement homes and five long-term care residences across the country. The Heritage is an active member of the B.C. Seniors Living Association and participant in the Continuous Quality Improvement Program, which involves continuous audits and surveys with its residents. Since 2006, Diversicare has been awarded the National Quality Institute of
Canada gold standard of excellence four times. Giesbrecht says Heritage now offers both independent assisted and supportive living services for clients . The big benefit of that, she says, is clients can move in on an assisted living basis and when they need more health service support, they don’t have to move elsewhere to get it, citing the retirement residence’s value statement of believing in seniors living as independently as possible for as long as possible.
PROGRESS 2015 Capital News Wednesday, April 29
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At Kelowna Chrysler, Talent and Innovation Drive Business Forward BY MIKE STRAUS A local auto dealership is gearing up for further success after a record-breaking year. From the outside, Kelowna Chrysler may look like any other new car dealership. But both nationwide and in Kelowna, Chrysler is making major strides in the consumer auto market—and the brand’s growth in the Okanagan is the result of strong customer service and top talent. Managing director Scott Amis says that now, with Kelowna Chrysler in its 41st year in business, the brand is making big moves. “2014 was a record year for national sales,” he says. “For the first time in history we’ve outsold Ford Motor Company. We’ve finished Q1 of 2015 as the number one nameplate in Canada.” Amis says that Kelowna’s recent growth has brought a larger consumer base to the area, and with
that larger consumer base he’s seeing more demand for vehicle modifications. In response to this growing trend, Kelowna Chrysler has launched KCD Customs, a custom auto shop that tailors vehicles to consumer specifications. “KCD Customs started off as a pet project by Justin Freeberg, our build manager. We prefer to call him an Imagineer. He takes the engineering background of our factory-approved components and imagines what the vehicle should look like. He actually builds the specs for us.” Amis notes that one major challenge in running a customs shop is warranty coverage. “As soon as you lift a vehicle or change the engineering from factory spec, you void the warranty.” Amis says that every alteration made by KCD Customs is covered under standard warranties from Chrysler, Fiat, and Ram. Since 2013,
KCD Customs has modified 100 vehicles—each one an entirely unique creation. For Amis and Kelowna Chrysler, though, growth isn’t just about boosting sales and offering new services. It’s also about giving back. “Lots of charities don’t have the funds to get radio time, so last year we signed a package of radio spots. Instead of using them for our own purposes, we gave our spots to the BCSCPCA, the Canadian Cancer Foundation, and the Rotary Club.” Amis believes that Kelowna’s growth as a city centre has brought a variety of benefits but also some challenges. He stresses that Kelowna can only grow so fast, and the economy will need to become more diverse in order to support the community and attract top talent.
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“The Okanagan is a beautiful location, which makes it easy to recruit people who are willing to relocate. But at the same time, we need to have available work for new residents. The wineries and orchards are great for the economy, but one industry alone can’t sustain a growing city.” It’s clear that for Amis, attracting and training talent is the key to success. “I hire nice people,” he says, “and give them the technical skills. Most of our competitors train monthly—we train daily. We don’t sell 1,500 vehicles a year. We focus on one guest experience at a time and repeat it 1,500 times.”
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Wednesday, April 29 Capital News PROGRESS 2015
Positive attitude being expressed by local growers It’s been several years since Fred Steele has been able to say this, but he is optimistic about the potential for a thriving tree fruit agriculture industry in the Okanagan Valley. The Kelowna orchardist, president of the BC Fruit Growers Association, says it’s refreshing after a long period of what he calls darkness hanging over the industry, there is a greater sense of optimism about the future. “Just being positive in itself is infectious,” said Steele. “But everyone in our industry is trying to work together it seems now to bring our industry back to life. “I equate what has happened to us over the last two decades to what happened with our grain; we lost entire prairie towns. I think we have gone through our own sort of test under fire, people saying the tree fruit industry is a sunset industry, and all the doom and gloom that goes along with that.” Helping to fuel that optimism are efforts to open our Okanagan cherries and apples to new markets in Asian Rim countries, such as China,
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Vietnam and South Korea, coupled with government funding to help farmers replant with new crops that are more productive and prosperous. A recent trade junket visit to Canada by India’s prime minister that included a visit to Vancouver was attended by Kelowna city councillor Mohini Singh and reps from the local tree fruit industry. As Steele says, it’s all about making connections, in particular with Asian country business and political leaders. “We’ve received about $8.4 million for replanting to higher revenue generating fruit varieties. Increased production of these new varieties means the crop is worth more money. Where you might get 25 to 30 bins an acre, a different variety might generate up to 50 bins an acre with higher density fruit tree plantings,” Steele said. The timeframe for replanting tree fruit orchards is critical, because the process takes five to seven years to complete, he said. “If you look at South Korea, there
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is a 45 per cent tariff placed on imported fruit right now. Seven years from now, that tariff will be zero but we have to start preparing now to be ready for that happening seven years down the roads. So with the replant program, we’ll be right on time when that happens as the replant crops will be coming on stream.” Steele says the pressure to ease tariffs is a combination of political and industry pressure from outside countries coupled with a growing middle class sector in Asian countries where people start to demand access to greater variety of fruit— and are willing and have the financial resources to pay for it. The BCFGA is headquartered on Water Street in downtown Kelowna. Falling fruit prices, price undercutting competition from Washington state growers, hail storms and frost crop damage, and a perceived lack of fiscal and policy support at the provincial and federal government levels have led to a reduction in the number of orchardists operating in the Okanagan Valley over the
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last decade. Today, B.C.’s interior tree fruit industry, centred in our valley, represents about 800 growers operating orchards that generate $130 million in wholesale revenue, contribute $900 million in economic activity and directly employs about 1,500 people annually at the grower, packinghouse and processor levels. But research science, propelled by the Summerland Pacific AgriFood Research Centre to create new tree fruit varieties, and the dry, hot Okanagan climate offer local growers a competitive advantage, one Steele reiterates the industry is beginning to take greater advantage of. He feels his industry is evolving out of some challenging and at times internally dysfunctional times and will be the stronger for it moving forward. “We are all working together in our industry a lot better than we have in a long time,” Steele said.
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