Rutland Residential Development Creates Vibrant Student Housing Hub
Recent construction projects and the City of Kelowna’s development plan for Rutland are creating a student-friendly area that’s rich in amenities. By Mike Straus
Students looking for offcampus accommodations in Kelowna have traditionally gravitated toward certain areas, with Glenmore, the downtown and the Mission being popular neighbourhoods.
But by and large, Rutland is on track to become Kelowna’s premier student housing hotspot.
Affordable rental rates and close proximity to UBC Okanagan and other amenities have drawn thousands of students to the area. In 2009, the Regional District of Central Okanagan estimated the number of 15-to-24-year-olds in Rutland to be 4,250, making it one of Rutland’s three largest age demographics.
Dave Hallonquist, managing dDirector of the Varsity Student Residence now under construction at the corner of Highway 33 and Dundas Road, says that Rutland’s reliable transit service is just one of the factors drawing students to the area. “Rutland is a 15-minute bus ride from UBCO,” he said. “And all UBCO students get a bus pass for the duration of
their enrolment as part of their tuition. “So they’re encouraged to take public transit, and that means they’ll be looking for accommodation around transit hubs.”
While living in Rutland sounds like a great deal for students, Hallonquist says the reality is that the Okanagan’s rental housing crunch has created a shortterm bottleneck – not just in Rutland, but all across the Okanagan.
Simply put, student demand for housing is outpacing supply. But Hallonquist says that’s about to change.
“There’s a fair amount of general rentals coming onstream over the next few years, with a number of development permits in place all across the Okanagan. And obviously, students will be a portion of the renters who occupy those buildings,” he explained. Hallonquist notes that local students are looking for affordable accommodations that offer an environment conducive to studying, which isn’t always readily available in Kelowna. He advocates
for purpose-built housing as a means of meeting student housing needs.
“A purpose-built student residence is very different from a standard apartment building. All of the amenities are targeted at students – unlimited Wi-Fi throughout the building; housekeeping services.”
Long-time Rutland resident Brad Sieben, a Kelowna city council member, says that he anticipates much more student-oriented housing will come to Rutland in the future as part of local revitalization efforts. “I think there’s potential for student housing to fit in with how Rutland develops. There’s one project in the ground right now,” Sieben said.
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Sieben notes the presence of rental-based housing development incentives in Rutland are driving new development that other parts of Kelowna aren’t seeing. The city has designated Rutland a town centre, he says, which means Rutland will see future development and investment to continue this housing push. Currently, the City of Kelowna is offering $420,000 in housing development grants for 2017 to reduce Development Cost Charges for purpose-built multi-family rentals. The city’s Official Community Plan, revised in 2013, estimates that Rutland will see 1,800 new multi-unit residences by 2030.
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“The market will dictate the rest. When you think of what amenities students are looking for – access to grocery stores, gyms, parks, and buses – you see that Rutland has potential.”
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