Keeping ALR land near UBCO Agricultural related, at least

This is a start   **** news addition as of late June  2020*****, please consider making input to a city application and supporting the Magic peace park.    ALR is proposed to be removed  that is very close to the UBCO - once gone it is gone forever- let's honor the role of the farm, farm folk and animals that have gotten us to this point in addition to supporting us now.    I am adding my initial letter in and hope that others add to a voice of choice in how Kelowna will be viewed from the highway as people come in.   

 On the good side.. I have learned that my letter has been forwarded to the mayor and city council.  I have seen the field mowed this past week so feel maybe it has helped at least get another crop of hay off it too.   Seems a shame to not be harvested the past couple years, but really glad it looks like it will be this year.     

September 2021

Kelowna city council passed a motion 5-2 to continue work of getting the land out of ALR

The time to unite towards an alternative is literally now or never.     Please email me silverado_socrates@hotmail.com     I am writing this on world tourism day 2021;    I have asked for support and  from a some world tourism leaders after listening in on a world tourism network zoom meeting but can not be the only Okanagan person willing to spend time and energy on alternatives.    So much potential for long term peace and prosperity- look forward to working with some folk that believe we can do better too. 

ALC notice of exclusion application - 4690 Hwy 97 N The City is looking for public comments concerning City lands in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). By June 30, provide your feedback on the City’s application to exclude from the ALR a portion of City property located at 4690 Highway 97 North. The exclusion application is being made pursuant to Section 29(1) of the Agricultural Land Commission Act and includes 40 acres of the 140-acre property. The proposed exclusion of this property from the ALR would allow for the future re-location and expansion of the Kelowna Regional Transit facility, currently located on Hardy Street in Kelowna. The expansion would allow for increased transit service in order to meet long-term transit demand in the Central Okanagan. Property (140 acres)Proposed exclusion area (40 acres) Agricultural impact Agricultural impact assessment Proposed use consistent with Official Community Plan and future land use designation Soil is not viable for significant agricultural use Site determined to be compromised for long-term agricultural use Mitigation strategy To offset the removal of this land from the ALR, the City intends to: Lease remnant parcels to new farmers Attempt to salvage soil from the property for agricultural use at alternate locations Promote agriculture in the region through the City's Agricultural Plan Update: The City is committed to doing its best to salvage any soil from this site to be relocated to viable agricultural parcels. We anticipate that this will be very limited in nature given the independent report provided to the City regarding soil viability. Although the City has so far not found interest in farming the remnant parcels, we are hopeful that innovative farm use may emerge on the remnant lands. Background In July 2017, Council approved the acquisition of 4690 Hwy 97 N in support of multiple civic objectives. At that time, Council also supported the application to exclude this property from the Agricultural land Reserve (ALR). A transit facility location analysis has been conducted, and the site at 4690 Hwy 97 N remains the best best option for relocation of the transit facility on the basis of location and cost. 140 acres of land was acquired as a strategic investment to support future relocation of civic facilities and to ensure future transportation needs were adequately protected. The acquisition and proposed redevelopment of the property is supported by the property's future land use designation. In 1995, the Agricultural Land Commission acknowledged the site to be seriously compromised for long term agricultural use based on the isolation of the property and proximity of the university lands to the north.

Hello Mr Hood. 

    I have a link to the application notice near the beginning of the first page of my website, www.fortsocs.ca.      I am sure that we can be more creative in finding places for the transit yard rather than take up more agricultural land.  I have talked to quite a few people about this and pretty much all feel the same way.   Kelowna has grown to become quite a culturally diverse city but should never forget its roots.   I think that there is great opportunity to harness the talents and energy of the university students while inspiring and teaching our young generation to appreciate this history and knowledge in addition to learning respect of nature, elders and lifelong learning.  

    The area in question, is located between the rail to trail and the university.    I have lived next door to this property for the past 3 years.   It seems a shame not to be fenced and allowing for the grazing of horses or cows.    One crop of hay was harvested the first one or two of three seasons I have been here.   I think that there is great potential in combining some history with some theatre as we capture supernatural living in central BC.   I grew up on PEI from which Anne of Green Gables still draws crowds.   You could also think Barkerville.    For close to a decade, I have been advocating for the prevention of heart disease and cancer through promotion of peace through tourism.   I would love to work with the city towards a  joint project.      Making money is mute if you don't have your health.   Through teaching the slower yet more natural way we did things, we can help create wealth and health.    I fondly read a book on the life of Giovanni Casorso .   So much of it was fascinating to me.   I loved at the end how the book shared that he still like to show his grandkids how to fix a fence.  You can bet that there was more knowledge than fence fixing going on.  Passing on the torch through spending time is so important, yet so lacking in our current society.  I would love to see some of this happening in this project.   

    Having been in the tourism business for over 30 years and practically raised many youth in the field.   I am speaking from experience when i say that i feel that mentor programs have a value that is priceless.   I had known this from the beginning which is largely why i had worked to transition from tourism.  Lack of having such mentors in my youth probably was a big part of my not succeeding in that transition.  I hope that this letter and other work along this line of thinking will help to bring better future fortune to myself and many more. 

     Thanks for your time.   Hope to hear back from you on this.

  Peace

Silverado