To the editor:
A recent phone call to Cal Sheppel, the realtor who has the Estate Square facility listed, revealed that he has evidently made several proposals to the City of West Kelowna with regard to a long term lease. This is the facility behind the now empty Sears building on Hwy. 97 close to Westbank Centre.
Of interest, building one (the four-storey tower with elevator) is 16,000 sq ft, ready for immediate occupancy. The Sears building (building three) has 16,800 sq ft of ground level and upper floor space, again ready for immediate occupancy. A third building, all in the same complex, offers an additional 4,500 sq ft. All in, that’s 37,300 sq ft of ready-to-use office space — and no rats. Room for all and the city works yard too — how much room does the City of West Kelowna need?
Also of note, this proposal, made several times, did not even receive the courtesy of a return phone call or an email acknowledging the above. With all this ready-to-use office space available for immediate occupancy not even being considered, one is left to wonder, what is driving West Kelowna city council’s agenda to build, borrow and tax the ratepayers of West Kelowna for this [new city hall/civic centre] project?
Added to the above, city hall’s alleged $25,000 YES campaign paid for by the taxpayers of West Kelowna— the big green YES signs.
Methinks something is afoot and I am now leaning towards clean, safe drinking water and infrastructure as a more responsible alternative use for our reserve funds than the above.
My NO vote on Sept. 17 will represent a “not now and not like this” decision. It is understandable that, as West Kelowna grows and becomes more financially able to sustain such a project, a new city hall and perhaps an attached rec-centre may become a reality.
Time, and the ratepayers voices on Sept. 17, will tell the story.
B. Mellis, West Kelowna