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Photo: Contribution
The rental vacancy rate in Kelowna has increased by almost 2% over the past year.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation announced Wednesday in its annual rental survey that the city's vacancy rate had risen to 1.9 per cent. This was only 0.2% in October 2017.
The report found that the new supply of purpose-built rental apartments outpaced the growth in demand, leading to an increase in the vacancy rate for apartments in all types of rooms.
Although vacancy rates have risen, average rent prices have continued to rise. The monthly cost of a two-bedroom apartment in October rose to $ 1,267, up from the mark of $ 1,151 in October 2017.
For more information on this story, visit Okanagan Edge.
Photo: FortisBC
UPDATE: 10:10
FortisBC teams are trying to determine the cause of a widespread blackout in Kelowna.
The outage affects approximately 5,600 customers across the downtown core and extends from KLO Road, as well as Gordon Drive to the bridge.
Nicole Brown, spokesperson for FortisBC, says the problem seems to be at the Saucier Road substation.
She said the crews are on their way, trying to determine the cause.
The traffic lights on Harvey Avenue from Gordon to Abbott are off. Motorists are encouraged to treat unlighted intersections as four-way stops.
ORIGINAL: 10 hours
A major power outage affects a huge band of Kelowna.
The FortisBC Breakdown Map shows that electricity is being cut in an area from Crowley Avenue in the north, in much of downtown Kelowna, to KLO Road, in the mission.
More details to come
Photo: DKA
Downtown Kelowna will be festive on Saturday for its Winter Street Street Market and its annual Christmas Tree Lighting.
The market is from 11h to 18h. on Water Street and Stuart Park.
Explore festive market stalls, skate on the rink of Stuart Park, listen to live music and meet the big man in red.
It's a licensed market, so you can sip an adult drink, offer sweets and festive treats, eat street food or simply relax by the fire.
There will also be family activities at the Okanagan Regional Library, and you will be able to make a lantern at the Kelowna Art Gallery. Meanwhile, Laurel Packing House celebrates 100 years and serves free apple cider.
Concerts will be provided by the Zamboni brothers, Sista B & the Boys and Orange Crush Quartet.
Visits with Santa start at noon at Stuart Park.
The evening ends with the 30th annual celebration of tree lighting at 6pm.
Photo: Castanet file photo
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has approved a report written by the former superintendent of the RCMP. Bill McKinnon on public safety.
Chair of the board, Carmen Sparg, said much of the report echoed the concerns expressed in the board by corporate members in 2017.
She also called on the city to show leadership and renewed calls for the resumption of a community court, used in Kelowna from 2010 to 2012.
Sparg said the chamber had recently written to the province asking for the support needed to make it a reality in Kelowna.
"We are pleased to see the short-term improvements identified by the city, stepping up efforts to keep the streets clean and providing public toilets to those in need," she said in a press release. .
"We have noted the reference in the report that the addition of municipal bylaw agents last summer may not have been the most cost-effective approach. to deal with problems in the downtown area, because by-law officers do not have the power to deal with potential offenses under the Penal Code, Legislative changes to give municipal officers more powers are something that the room would probably be favorable. "
Sparg said the room was ready and willing to work with the city to create a positive downtown environment.
"Even though it does not have the authority or the expertise to deal with the issues under discussion, the room can be a means of communication for business owners, employees and employees. customers affected by the state of downtown.
"Finally, the chamber believes that, while the city must take a leadership role, the federal and provincial governments also have a role to play in ensuring that local governments have the financial resources and tools they need to solve this complex problem."
Evening update of Castanet from Tuesday, November 27 with reporter Wayne Moore.
Photo: Alanna Kelly – archive photo
Police flooded the area around Knox Mountain after a woman stole a truck on Tuesday morning.
Residents told Castanet News that there was a strong police presence in the Tombeau de Paul area before 9am.
The search began after a man had left his idle brown Dodge 1500 van in his 1100 block drive at Stockwell Avenue at 7 o'clock.
When he came in for a coffee, a woman got into his truck and left.
"The RCMP flooded the area in search of the stolen pickup truck, which was spotted shortly thereafter by one of our agents, abandoned along Poplar Point Drive," said Capt. Jesse O & # 39; Donaghey.
A search of the area was carried out and a police dog was called to help.
"As a direct result of the police's solicitation of witnesses in the neighborhood, the police were called back shortly after 9 am, after a resident saw the suspect walking around the area," he said. said cape. O'Donaghey.
A 52-year-old woman from Kelowna was arrested without incident. She faces potential charges and remains in detention.
The stolen vehicle has been found and must be the subject of physical research by forensic experts.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP at 250-762-3300.
November 27, 2018 / 2:01 pm | story:
242979
UPDATE: 14h00
Glenmore Road is open to alternating traffic on one lane while crews continue to clean up an oil spill.
The cleanup should take a little longer, but the BC Hydro spokesman said the crews are working to clean the slippery tar.
"This transformer contained about 68 liters of mineral oil, resulting in a collision," Jen Walker-Larsen said.
In addition to mineral oil, there was a very small amount of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).
"The level was so small that it was well below the threshold that should have been reported to Environment Canada," Walker-Larsen said.
UPDATE: 11:30
An environmental response team is on the site of an oil spill in a transformer after a vehicle has crashed into a utility pole.
Officers responded to Glenmore Road near Lake Country at 11:30 pm Monday and found a gray Pontiac G5 had left the road and crashed into an electric pole.
RCMP Cpl. Jesse O'Donaghey says the force of the collision caused the electrical pole to drop, with a transformer turned on, on the road.
"A substance supposed to be mineral oil, from the transformer, covered the roadway, posing a risk to motorists," O'Donaghey said.
Castanet has learned that several liters of chemicals have spread on the road.
The teams have been on site for hours and it is thought that some of the chemical has hurtled down a hill.
The driver of the vehicle, a 22-year-old man from Kelowna, suffered "relatively minor" injuries and moved away from the accident.
"The RCMP does not believe that alcohol was involved in the collision," O'Donaghey said.
The man was fined under the Motor Vehicle Act.
All witnesses are invited to call the police at 250-766-2288.
UPDATE: 9:51
Karen Miller, Lake Country Communications Officer, told Castanet that the Lake Country Fire Department was badisting, but BC Hydro was responsible for restoring the area's food and cleaning.
Many people contacted Castanet to let us know that they were experiencing trial and error at both ends of Glenmore Road due to a chemical spill.
Castanet has contacted BC Hydro, but so far we have not heard more details about the spill or the duration of the road closure.
UPDATE: 8:00 AM
According to BC Hydro 's power outage map, electricity has now been restored for residents living near Chase Road on Glenmore Road. Several cases of chemical spills have been reported to Castanet in the same area, near the Nature & # 39; s Gold farming facility.
Traffic is always blocked in both directions.
Castanet strove to determine if there was indeed a spill of chemicals in the area.
We will update the latest information as soon as it is available.
UPDATE: 7 hours
Electricity is cut off for just over 60 customers near the border between Lake Country and Kelowna along Glenmore Road due to a road accident on Block 4200 of Glenmore Road.
Callers in Castanet 's press room said the road was closed in both directions and that emergency teams were on site and working on the problem.
This will certainly have an impact on the morning commute for all those who have to use Glenmore Road. The incident appears to be near Chase Road.
The BC Hydro website indicates that power should be restored by 8:00 am
ORIGINAL: 5:55
Power lines along Glenmore Road caused traffic problems on the roadway Tuesday morning.
This photo shows a dark sedan near the power line at 4165 Glenmore Rd. At 11:30 am Monday night.
The emergency crews had to bypbad power lines that failed to get to the vehicle.
An incident was reported, but it is unclear what caused the fall of power lines on the roadway and there is no indication that there were any injuries at the present time.
Photo: Nicholas Johansen
Mayor Colin Basran kicked off Tuesday at Kelowna City Hall on Tuesday.
After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday kicked off Tuesday in the pouring rain at Kelowna City Hall.
The international event, which encourages donations to people in need, was launched in the Okanagan town halls for the fourth year.
In Okanagan, the event is organized by Boys and Girls Clubs Okanagan and United Way.
"We have experienced all the excesses of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This is an opportunity for people to give back to the community and the start of the donation season, "said Helen Jackman, executive director of United Way Central. And South-Okanagan Similkameen.
Many of the 50 local non-profit groups supported by United Way were at Kelowna City Hall Tuesday to help Mayor Colin Basran officially proclaim Giving Tuesday in the city.
"After the focus on consumerism in recent days, it's a nice reset to get back to what's really important – it's a community that ensures that everyone in our community has a roof and the necessities of life. base, because I know that this poses a problem in our community, "said Basran.
"That's why today is so important, but we should be aware of it every day."
"We encourage everyone to consider what you spent and what you could spend at Christmas and think about how you can give back," said Jackman. "This is only an opportunity to celebrate philanthropy and its impact."
You will find a list of places to donate here.
Photo: Contribution
The Okanagan Central Land Trust has launched a campaign to protect the Munson Pond in Kelowna.
Wayne Wilson, of the Trust, said the pond "is a jewel of the environment amid the increasingly populated Kelowna landscape".
In the early 1960s, the pond was a gravel pit and, once completed, it was slowly filled with artesian water because of the high water table in the KLO and Benvoulin areas.
Since then, the pond has become a park and is home to beavers, otters, muskrats, birds and fish.
Over the past three years, the Land Trust has planted native trees and shrubs, as well as the construction of a trail, bridge and observation platforms.
He has now registered an endowment fund with the Central Okanagan Foundation and hopes to raise it to $ 25,000.
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to relaunch the fund.
Photo: Jon Manchester
Prepare to lace up your skates.
Stuart Park Outdoor Rink in downtown Kelowna Opens Friday for Canada's Winter Games Community Celebration and Torch Relay
Skating begins at 3 pm and the rink will be open daily (weather permitting) from 6 pm to 11 pm until the end of February.
The torch relay travels to more than 40 cities across Canada. Riders will carry the torch from Stuart Park at 3:30 pm towards Bernard Avenue and Lawrence before returning to the park.
A ceremony will be followed by family activities.
Bells will be distributed to encourage the crowd to encourage the relay.
Skaters can check Stuart Park's webcam for ice conditions and weather conditions throughout the season.
Skates, helmets and EZ bars are available for rent on site daily from 11:00 to 20:00.
Dress warmly – to conserve natural gas, the fireplace will not be lit this year.
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