Letters submitted by local businesses in support of a massive Leon Avenue mega-condo prompted concern for a Kelowna city councillor.

The three-tower development, dubbed , is set to be a near-complete revitalization of the 200-block of Leon Avenue 乌鸦传媒� an area that has long been the subject of community debate due to the street乌鸦传媒檚 significant traffic of people experiencing homelessness.

Social issues facing the area were cited in four letters of support given to the developer by neighbouring businesses and area stakeholders. They were presented as council considered the development at a Tuesday evening (Jan. 12) meeting.

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During that meeting, Coun. Loyal Wooldridge said the letters, submitted by Hotel Zed, Prestige Hotels, Global Okanagan and the August Family Foundation, 乌鸦传媒渟uggest gentrification like this is going to solve those social challenges.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a misconception when we build luxury towers that gentrification is going to solve the lack of investment into treatment and support services, and most importantly housing,乌鸦传媒� Wooldridge told the Capital News.

In the letter of support from Hotel Zed, president and CEO Mandy Farmer stated the hotel believes the development will help the street be 乌鸦传媒渞eclaimed for locals.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淸City Park] has been a home for drug use, homelessness, thievery and a general unpleasant behaviour that takes away from the [residents] and tourists of our city. I believe it is time to take back our streets and park and allow them to be fully appreciated and used by our community,乌鸦传媒� she wrote.

Despite their new neighbours, Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Gospel Mission will continue its operations on the street 乌鸦传媒� that includes offering beds, meals and social services to people experiencing homelessness. Neither the mission nor the people it serves have plans to leave the area.

Executive director Carmen Rempel agreed with Wooldridge, saying 乌鸦传媒渂igger, shiner buildings乌鸦传媒� won乌鸦传媒檛 help with the street乌鸦传媒檚 larger issues, but she乌鸦传媒檚 excited for the new neighbours.

乌鸦传媒淎ny neighbour that comes into town that increases our property value is something that we will welcome.乌鸦传媒�

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The intention of the development is obviously not to solve social issues, said developer Anthony Beyrouti, but will rather enhance and bring life to the area. In response to Wooldridge乌鸦传媒檚 comments, he said the word 乌鸦传媒榞entrification乌鸦传媒� is used 乌鸦传媒渨henever something new is built.乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 think it乌鸦传媒檚 a derogatory term,乌鸦传媒� he said, citing Wooldridge乌鸦传媒檚 eventual support of the project. 乌鸦传媒淗e wouldn乌鸦传媒檛 have given his approval if he thought it was a bad thing.

乌鸦传媒淏asically every project has things it could work on, but we乌鸦传媒檙e trying to do something spectacular in an area that a lot of people believe need it.乌鸦传媒�

Wooldridge 乌鸦传媒� along with most of his fellow councillors 乌鸦传媒� was wooed by the chance for a long-awaited revitalization of a street that has had very little interest from developers. City council hesitantly approved the project with a 7乌鸦传媒�2 vote that followed much deliberation, largely stating the 乌鸦传媒渕uch-needed乌鸦传媒� redevelopment of Leon Avenue outweighed their significant concerns.

乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 think the application is perfect by any means,乌鸦传媒� Wooldridge said. 乌鸦传媒淏ut this is one of the first times we乌鸦传媒檝e had someone come forward with a vision and a substantial amount of investment to address what needs to be upgraded.乌鸦传媒�

Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com

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