Black Press Media is reaching out to all candidates running for Kelowna council in the 2022 municipal election, asking for their response to three specific issues about the community, as well as a fun question. Responses will be published in the order they are received.
Gordon Lovegrove - Council candidate
If elected, how do you think council should manage growth and development in Kelowna?
Kelowna is growing because of its world-class natural beauty, great business acumen, and fun-loving residents; none are changing anytime soon. World-class cities demand world-class solutions. OCP 2040/TMP needs to go further and integrate land use/transportation with stronger leadership, climate lens decision-making, firm growth boundary, community partners on where and how to infill/densify to increase housing supply, and effective bike/transit/tram-trains infrastructure for local/longer distance trips to reduce 30 to 50 per cent of our traffic congestion.
In 2021, Kelowna had the second highest property rate crime in the country, what should city council do to help address street and property crime in the city?
Community Safety Plan (CSP) now. Let’s partner with our experts, our resident and business crime victims, RCMP Crime prevention Thru Environmental Design (CPTED), justice system, CMHA, shelters, OPS, and our neighborhood Block Watch Patrols, and Speed Watch volunteers. Kelowna’s first-ever CSP has five priority areas (crime prevention, domestic violence, housing, mental health/addictions, and racism). I applaud it, especially the evidence-based links to mental health/addiction, and housing/homelessness. I would push to adequately fund it, and given my housing/safety/ CPTED expertise, to sit on its stewardship team. Let’s all do our part for a safer, healthier Kelowna.
In your view, what is council’s responsibility in assisting those experiencing homelessness, and providing affordable housing for Kelowna residents?
Partner, partner, partner. I have been asked to serve on the KGM board, lead UBCO’s Homelessness Research Cluster in support of Kelowna’s Journey Home Society, and advise our federal deputy minister of infrastructure on both affordable housing and homelessness. Both are complex, with no quick fixes, and require system-based approaches. Homelessness can happen due to one or more factors, including mental illness, addiction, loss of job, chronic illness, abuse, domestic strife, and other life-changing traumas. Similarly, increasing the supply of, and access to, lower-cost/subsidized housing (via increased supply and/or low-cost access to neighbor communities) requires federal/provincial leadership to step-up with empathetic and expert health care teams, funding and programs that council can facilitate via:
- OCP, Zoning, development bylaws with social housing/ community amenity components;
- Land banks for long-term leasing to provide subsidized rental housing (e.g. CMHC);
- Advocating to, and working with, its partners to facilitate housing and healthy-outcomes.
Who is your favourite Okanagan celebrity and why?
Josh Gorges. Kelowna-born, always battling for positive outcomes. A team player!