The KYC and Water Street Senior Centre moves are important parts of a plan to redevelop the downtown waterfront for greater public use. Freeing up land required for the future construction of Stuart Park Phase 2 will ensure more citizens have greater access to parks, paths and amenities along the waterfront.

Contingent on Council approval, part of the overall plan to free up land to accommodate Phase 2 of Stuart Park and the waterfront promenade will see the Water Street Seniors Centre Society moved to a new space in the Parkinson Recreation Centre. Establishing a place for seniors at Parkinson Recreation Centre offers a number of advantages, such as ample parking, convenient transit service and improved security for members.

The Water Street Seniors Centre Society will enjoy a newly constructed space built specifically for its purposes. The society will be involved in the phased-in transition, including designing the new space as part of a design committee to ensure its needs are met.

"Our society has worked closely with the City of Kelowna to develop a relocation plan that meets the needs of our members for improved safety, parking and accessibility," says Mary Murphy, President of the Water Street Seniors Society. "We look forward to our role in the next phases of the process to get a new seniors centre established at Parkinson Recreation Centre."

The City and the Kelowna Yacht Club have been engaged in discussions for more than a year to set out a plan that meets the needs of KYC members and citizens of Kelowna. The attached report provides details of the proposal to build a facility in a new location adjacent to Stuart Park north of its current location.

"We are delighted to have reached this agreement with the City which allows the further development of Stuart Park," says KYC Past-Commodore Cairy Holtby. "We have been working toward this for years and, considering the incredible support our club and members give to our community each year, this move is a natural one for us. We believe our community and Okanagan Lake are real jewels and it gives us great pleasure to contribute to everyone's enjoyment of these treasures," she says.

"The Council reports on Monday are the result of months of constructive work between the City and both the Water Street Seniors Centre Society and the Kelowna Yacht Club," says Derek Edstrom, the City of Kelowna's Strategic Land Development Manager. "Our community would like greater access to prime waterfront park space. Living in Kelowna is significantly defined by our interaction with our most valued asset, Okanagan Lake. The relocation of both the Seniors Centre and Kelowna Yacht Club is another large step toward delivering a dynamic Stuart Park and for greater public access to the waterfront."

More than a year ago, the City engaged the KYC and the Seniors Centre in relocation discussions. Both parties entered into a detailed five-phase process to select the most appropriate location for their membership, while addressing their functional needs and desires.

The process has resulted in excellent relocation sites for both parties. The Seniors Society will benefit from improved accessibility and proximity to PRC recreational opportunities, while the KYC will be able to invest in a new facility overlooking its moorage.

"Although no relocation is an easy process, we believe all parties will benefit from this transition, including the citizens of Kelowna, who will have greater access to prime downtown waterfront amenities," says Edstrom.

It is anticipated the Water Street Senior Centre members will move to Parkinson Recreation Centre sometime in 2012. Following construction of the new seniors centre at PRC, the Water Street Senior Centre will be demolished. Construction of a new yacht club building will be located at the northern edge of Phase 2 of Stuart Park and is planned to be complete by the end of 2013.

For more information about Stuart Park, visit kelowna.ca/cityprojects

For more information about the Water Street Seniors Centre, visit waterstseniors.com.

For more information about the Kelowna Yacht Club, visit kelownayachtclub.com

Links to City Council reports:
Senior Centre

Yacht Club