The redevelopment of the Kelowna Springs Golf Course property has been made public.
Denciti Development has launched a at 480 Penno Road which includes 35-acre business park, a year-round pickleball sports dome, and 51 acres for the existing nine-hole golf course. It also includes 10 acres of open space with public trails and habitat areas where none previously existed, according to the website.
乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e listened to the community and are proud to present a vision that reflects a range of priorities," Denciti CEO Garry Fawley said in a media release. "We've worked hard to create a win-win solution where recreation thrives while also generating high-paying jobs for residents.
Fawley added that the proposed plan strikes a balance and creates a place where residents can work, play, and grow.
Denciti will submit a development application for the western portion of the property to the city this spring. A community forum is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Springvalley Middle School (350 Ziprick Rd).
The proposed redevelopment of Kelowna Springs has been controversial. In 2020, the property was identified as a major opportunity for new industrial development. According to a staff report at the time, the property owner approached the city to explore opportunities for either a commercial or industrial land use designation change.
In July 2022, City Councillor Luke Stack made a motion to amend the 2040 Official Community Plan (OCP) to have the property designated private recreational, noting a potential loss of significant green space. It was defeated by council in a tie vote a month later.
Golfers and many residents were unhappy with the decision and petitioned council to preserve the property. During the municipal election in October 2022, .
Stack brought the issue back to a council meeting in February 2023 and the land use designation change to private recreational was approved, and scheduled for a public hearing. However, a few days before that meeting Denciti announced it had purchased the property and made a case for its redevelopment.
The June public hearing saw council chambers packed with golfers, orchardists, farmers and residents. After a four-and-a-half hour meeting council voted 8-1 to change the designation to private recreation from future industrial.
More than 400 pages of correspondence had been received on the issue, which staff believed to be the most ever for a public hearing.
Following the hearing, Fawley said Denciti 乌鸦传媒渨ill get to work on a rezoning application for the property that finds a balance between recreational use and Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 acute need for employment and industrial land.乌鸦传媒�
There were also calls from the public for the city to buy the golf course lands. In December 2024, the city issued a media release from Dyas, stating that the city had engaged in discussions with Denciti to purchase the property and explore options to maintain its use as a golf course but was ultimately unsuccessful.
