This letter is in response to John Zeger’s letter posted Dec. 13th addressing Lawson Landing and MoveKelownaForward.com.

As I predicted last week, Mr. Zeger has decided to continue his assailment on Lawson Landing and MoveKelownaForward.com. Mr. Zeger has stated that MoveKelownaForward.com is “little more than a local mouthpiece for Edmonton developer Phil Milroy”. I find it ironic that Mr. Zeger uses the term “mouthpiece” as he has, again, brought up the four issues that Phil Milroy has already addressed and I supported with facts in my last letter: the number of high-rises and their height and massing, the proposed sale of Kerry Park, environmental concerns, and the creation of more public space. I am definitely not trying to “draw attention away from the fundamental issues” as Mr. Zeger states. I just don’t need to repeat myself – these have all been talked about many times in the media and publicly addressed again Dec. 13th by Phil Milroy himself.

What I would like to address is the position of MoveKelownaForward.com. We do not support every development that is being, or is going to be, constructed in Kelowna. We have a directive of five points that we encourage of a developer. We like to see development that:

1. Proposes a mixed use, high density plan that creates a positive revitalization of an area and establishes a visionary precedent for future developments
2. Positively contributes to the economic and social welfare of Kelowna in terms of community services and recreation, new jobs, and economic prosperity that leads to the welcoming of new citizens
3. Works closely with the City of Kelowna to ensure responsible planning in regards to proper land use and allocation, affordable housing, demographics, etc…
4. Creates new publicly accessible green lands and water lands where possible and/or attempts to preserve present green lands and water lands and
5. Ensures continued preservation of the environment and considers environmental design concepts such as green roofs and geothermal heating.

The Kelowna public wants to voice their opinion regarding future development of our great city.

MoveKelownaForward.com is the medium for people and businesses of Kelowna to provide that voice.

And that’s a fact.

Tony D’Andrea
Public Relations

Mr. Zeger has again surfaced in the media stating his disagreement with another project being constructed in Kelowna. This time his target is Lawson Landing - again. I would just like to note, from what I have read in the newspaper and have seen in the updated presentation, that the developer Phil Milroy HAS addressed the public’s concerns of the high rises and the proposed sale of Kerry Park. Milroy has stated that there will be no reduction in the tower sizes as it would threaten the viability of the project. The reality is, you can see through it, walk through it, and drive through it. It is even much more open than areas such as The Grand. Along with this is a doubling of public access along the waterfront. Mr. Zeger asks how can Milroy be creating more public space when he is merely changing the form of what is already public space. Milroy is changing public ACCESS – the space has always been there. The last time I was down near the Sails I didn’t see any way of walking out into the “public” water on a pier, or walking along a multi-level “public” boardwalk, or walking in a European style “public” plaza. As for the proposed sale of Kerry Park the City has stated “people who think the City is interested in selling off its waterfront are misinformed”. Kerry Park is not going to be sold. It is going to be given to the city and within Lawson Landing going to be moved and most likely the name will be kept. Kerry Park is not leaving – it’s simply getting bigger and better.

Mr. Zeger is the head of the Citizens for Responsible Community Planning (CRCP) that is an organization “committed to preserving Kelowna through policies of controlled growth”. What is controlled growth according to the CRCP? “Smart Growth of Kelowna should be controlled at 1% annually, not at the present rate of 2.5%”. The CRCP affirms that they wish to “allow Kelowna to grow by an additional 50,000 residents by 2020”. The growth of Kelowna is inevitable. We are a beautiful city! And since we can’t stop the growth, where are new residents going to reside? I heard Mr. Zeger speak at a Council meeting and he is against any construction higher than four stories. So where do the new residents reside? Sprawling in our outlying areas. I speak for a lot of people who have lived in Kelowna for many years (I have lived here for 25) that that is not what we want.

Mr. Zeger mentions that with Lawson Landing there is going to be load on our transportation network, have a negative effect on tourism, and cause an environmental impact. Well the transportation network is being taken care of presently with the creation of a new bridge and the public meetings around the various traffic flow options and I don’t understand how revitalizing the downtown core with increased public space, new retail premises, a 225 room luxury hotel with conference center, and wine and ski tours (among others) originating from the Lawson Landing premises is going to have a negative effect on tourism.

Finally, Mr. Zeger writes about the environmental concerns. Unless Mr. Zeger is an environmental engineer he shouldn’t be commenting how this project would cause disastrous effects to the lake ecology. The City would not allow a development to proceed unless there was a thorough, professional environmental study. Now as for Mr. Zeger’s comment that downtown is a sensitive area for “spawning Kokanee salmon”, Mr. Zeger should note two things. Firstly, Mission Creek, where the Kokanee spawn, exits well south of downtown around the Eldorado Hotel. Secondly, Kokanee is a trout - a salmonid, not a salmon. Mr. Zeger writes out of emotion and not out of fact. I appreciate his enthusiasm vocalizing his opinion in this free country of ours and he will inevitably write against this letter and every other potential high density construction to go up in Kelowna but I am drawing weary of his continual disdain. We voted our City Council in for a reason and they are doing an amazing job in creating the beautiful city that we have.

As of right now the only Kokanee I see in front of the Sails come in six and twelve packs. I urge the public to embrace Lawson Landing as it will be a catalyst to the rejuvenation of our downtown. State your “yes” vote in our website, www.MoveKelownaForward.com.

Tony D’Andrea – MoveKelownaForward.com

Hello John,

I have to admit that it was very interesting to meet you as well that night during the council meeting. Let me also extend a hearty thank-you for your outburst there in front of some of the council members and the remaining gallery. You were able to were to single handily improve our credibility in front of City Council. You have saved us hours of legwork and hand shaking. Thank-you again.

I see by reading your last letter that you have twisted the facts again. Just like in the council meeting where you submitted a petition with addresses that did not exist and others that were not in the area. So here I am correcting you again and please don't take this as a personal attack; you have just listed some wrong information which I will set straight.

I have lived here for 34 years not 37, and yes it was the first time I have attended one of those meetings and I will be attending a lot more in the future. The reason I have not attended those meeting in the past, is because I do volunteer work in the city and surrounding area, that does take up a lot of my time. Plus the thought of you stating that I do not do any volunteering in Kelowna without having the courtesy of asking me first to even see if you were correct made me very angry. Granted I did not volunteer "for the Adopt a Stream program to help clean up the creek bed of Mill Creek" or "convinced the public works department to put a trash receptacle at a nearby bus stop so that people wouldn't litter the creek bed there (and its made a big difference btw for all Kelowna'ians!) "

But I do feel proud about how I spend the majority of my free time. I am a member of the RCMP Victim Services Unit where I am on call anywhere from 3 to 10 times per month working various shifts including during the night from 6 pm to 6am and 24 hrs on weekends. I also go in and volunteer on my days off, from my regular full time job. Now you probably are wondering what I do? The Victim Witness Services \provides direct assistance, court assistance, emotional support, information and referral services 24 hours a day, to the victims and witnesses of any type of crime or trauma - such as assault, sudden death, robbery, fraud and physical violence.

So,it might not be as glamorous as putting a garbage can by a creek, but at 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning as I am driving to a residence to assist the RCMP in telling them a family member has died or assisting in a domestic abuse case, I will not be thinking about your satirical opinions in how I contribute towards my community. I will not even be thinking about how I need to earn the credibility you say I need to even stand before the City Council within a public hearing because I already have. This isn't a matter of who's more right, who's more credible, it's what I offer to the community and quite humbly as well. I don't need a garbage can to prove my worthiness. Seeing a smile, or a thank you, years down the road for helping someone in the past is gratuitous enough for me.

And as for being short of ideas, I can only work with what is given to me. But one thing for sure, I don't back peddle on stances. Just reading your posts you have changed your mind several times. Even members of your own committee don't even agree with your views. Of course now that you have delete all the old posts, no one else will be able to read some of the logic arguments that were presented.

As for your idea of me taking "shots at you" I am only stating the obvious when I make reference to your short living time here in Kelowna. And please believe me when I say that I complement you on your passion for this community. But I really do question your ideals on how the city should progress. After all if we had stopped the growth of the city years ago, many people, including yourself would not have the opportunity to enjoy this city and assist in it's growth to a regional centre.

It is obvious that we will be having this conversation several times over the next few months, as there are move developments on the way, and as long as this group feels it is good for the city of Kelowna and for it's citizens. We will make our voices heard, as we will all views that are submitted to this website. As you already know, everyone in Kelowna has the right to voice their opinion and we are just happy that we are providing a place for people to do that.

Sincerely,
Duane Tresnich
www.MoveKelownaForward.com

We wish to thank everyone who have submitted letters in support of this project, and expressing their points of views.

After reading all the comments and replies it may be time to reiterate my own points of view as some negative responses have skewed them.

Mr. Zeger, I am not yearning for the big city experience as you so call it. I have been to several large cities in Canada and also have travelled out of country and overseas, so I have more or less "satisfied" my desires. My decision to support this development is not one to turn Kelowna into a Vancouver or another large city with a population base of over 500,000. It is to support my community and the business trying to earn a living downtown. I don't know about you Mr. Zeger but I do a lot of Downtown shopping. I also enjoy the fine establishments that are available to us due to development, business people who do make their living, who do create jobs, who do believe in the Kelowna Area. I don't see this as destroying a city but moving a city forward. And for your comment of "why don't you just go after what you want and move to Vancouver instead of trying to turn Kelowna into Vancouver and destroying this city for the rest of us. That way everybody wins". I would like to know what in your mind thinks or makes that a fair comment to say? This great city will grow and this project has made a responsible commitment to revitalizing the downtown core. And to accuse me of trying to destroy this city, someone who has seen this city grow, and believes in the cities future, shows your lack of respect for not only yourself but for other people who have a right to express an opinion in this great country.

For someone who has been here for only two years, you seem to think you have the pulse of the city. If you are so against the growth of this city, why did you move here and not to a smaller centre in the Okanagan Valley? You have made several comments of stopping development. Why? You even wrote on your web site stating "I would suggest a moratorium on all major developments to give the public a chance to reflect on and debate Kelowna's future before the 2005 municipal election". With a written comment like that I would have to ask, Why you feel that Kelowna is not worth investing in? Why do you want to bring this city to a complete standstill? After all, stopping development will cause people to move away and search for work instead of raising their children in the same community they grew up in. Is this what you would like for our fair city?

To Jason R, while I will complement you on your passion, I do question your ability to have a calm and productive conversation on this project. If I am wrong in this, I would be more than happy and willing to discuss this with you in a public debate. In fact I will be looking forward to it. By reading the comments you have been making I am positive it will not be much of a debate. I would like to respond to the personal e-mail you sent me which I have placed on this website for other people to read also. You seem to question my comment on the validity of a survey with only a sample size of 50 people [Editor: check out sample size calculator:]. Yes, I do not believe 50 people is enough to cause a valid assumption for if it is, 100% of the people I showed your e-mail too laughed at your comments. In case you wondering, I have worked in the "industry". ( I believe you mean tourist industry). For over 10 years I worked downtown, in nightclubs and restaurants, where on a daily/nightly basis I had the pleasure of dealing with people from all over the world who came to Kelowna because they found it desirable. I've spoken with all manners of educated people from blue collared to white collared, enjoying the city we live in.

It’s unfortunate the information garnered from your conversation with the gentleman from the Fintry Queen that he has seen a drop in people wanting to go out on a boat cruise, but people are still coming to Kelowna to see other sites. I'd like to take a moment to re-point out the fact that in my earlier Editorial I never once said anything about a "significant drop in tourist visits this summer" I said that “We have even had a Major forest fire that had destroyed homes and business in this community and the tourists are still finding Kelowna desirable”

I have caught myself wondering why and how it is a personal attack when I explain to someone who has only lived here for two years the history of this city. I guess everyone has their own interpretation of what is being read as you have already pointed out your failure in reading the correct statement about the fire and people still finding Kelowna desirable.

You've taken the opportunity to strike a low blow by adding into your email, "...you should pick on someone who has the similar education... shall I suggest the elementary school". Well, don't be offended if I don't want to give that any credence. I'll say my peace, and I believe everyone is entitled to their own thoughts, and opinions. If this is what you are going to bring to the debate, be sure to let me know, I'll try to go and find my box of journals from Elementary School and get into that mentality you seem to want to degrade this into.

Your questioning my credibility in supporting this project, because you feel I have not in the spoken out in public previously, is completely false. I believe it is a very worthwhile project, all anyone has to do is look at this website and see the amount of traffic it has generated and the responses both "for" and "against" this project. Last time I checked your webpage, it hasn't appeared to have produced the required results that you and Mr. Zeger have been looking for. Even in your forum page almost all of the responses have been from you or Mr. Zeger, I don't see that many other people supporting your cause

And as for you making comments to everyone else's statements shows your lack of respect for their thoughts and community spirit. That is something that is very disappointing to see.

Sincerely,
Duane Tresnich
www.MoveKelownaForward.com

How can a newspaper like the capital news print a story that is so obviously bias that any person reading it would laugh at the result. It would be obvious that the question being asked would lean more towards giving a “NO” answer. Plus asking 50 people is not a survey but more of a general annoyance to the people the committee was asking. They probably said no just to be left alone. I am wondering if Mr. Zeger pointed out the problems with the park or the positive things the development will provide, instead of the general look and design of the building.

But let’s get back to the article at hand. Does Mr Zeger and the Citizens for ‘Responsible Community Planning’ really think that tourists will find Kelowna a more or less desirable place to visit because the city of Kelowna has decided to IMPROVE the waterfront with this development? Is there a reason that he is promoting (to invent a new term) “tourist fear mongering”. Does he think that this city will cave under the threat of a few tourists will not come back?

Well let me inform Mr. Zeger (who by his own words has only lived here for 2 years) a brief history of Kelowna. In 1986 and 1987 the city was unfortunately plagued with riots, and the tourists still found Kelowna desirable. In the 90’s the population of Kelowna exploded and areas of Kelowna that were once orchards now become housing developments, and shopping centres, and the tourists still found Kelowna desirable. We have had bad summers with lots of rain and summers with almost no rainfall at all, and the tourists still found Kelowna desirable. We have gained some festivals and lost some attractions like “thunderfest”, and the tourists still found Kelowna desirable. We have even had a Major forest fire that had destroyed homes and business in this community and the tourists are still finding Kelowna desirable.

This community has so many things to offer the tourists that come here, we have wine festivals, the knox mountain hill climb, a dragon boat festival, ‘Wakefest’ wakeboarding competition, orchard tours, wine tours, mountain bike tours, fishing, golfing, hiking, camping and the list goes on. And yet Mr. Zeger and his committee thinks that this development will make Kelowna less desirable. Who he is trying to kid or better yet, who are they trying to convince?

Don’t let their misrepresented ideals frighten the people of Kelowna into thinking this development will make Kelowna a less desirable place for tourists to spend their hard earned dollar.

Let your voice be heard, either send an e-mail to city council or go to www.MoveKelownaForward.com and voice your opinion there.

Lets us be your voice at the city council meeting.

Sincerely,
Duane Tresnich
www.MoveKelownaForward.com

Once again the citizens of Kelowna wish to live 25 years in the past. For years I have heard nothing but complaints about how the Downtown Core needs to be revitalized. Now a developer has come up with a plan that is exactly what this city needs.

Look people, Kelowna is growing up and trying to join the 21st century. For years city hall refused to allow projects that would make us look like the city we have become and now that they do; some people start "whining like little children" about how it is going to block the view to the lake. I would bet money that those same people don't even have a view to the lake now. I wonder if these were the same people who whined about the Grand on the old seaplane base or the Dolphins being built. Those buildings have nothing but improved the image of this city. The Pandosy Landing development downtown is the start of a very bright future for the area. Is it too tall? NO! Is it too BIG? No way! Will it add to this city's future? YES! Having 1500 people living downtown will support all those merchants who have been asking for something like this for years -- no longer will they have to depend on the summer months to make the money to get them through the winter.

Don't let people, using fear mongering tactics stating that we will lose park land or beaches, change this developer's and cities plan for the area., as all of us that have been downtown know, most of this area is already concrete and buildings, only one VERY small portion is a park area., and no beach. In fact for years the community has been complaining about Kerry Park and it's relationship to the city's drug problem. Now we have a chance to turn this area into a place everyone can go and enjoy themselves at anytime, instead of just Friday and Saturday nights.

I urge this city and city hall to allow this mega project in all its glory to be built downtown. If fact, I hope that they will fast track the process to get construction started as soon as possible. I am glad, NO! proud that this city is finally allowing major developments like this to occur as it will bring jobs and a good economic future for the downtown core.

Sincerely,

Duane Tresnich