People that want to see PG progress know the downtown is an anchor to any failure. The reasons why are numerous beginning with the fact you can not have underground parking in the downtown thereby limiting the density to not much more than it has now. Any improvement to the downtown would come through change and roll over, and not through increased density due to limiting natural factors.

The golf club lands however are prime prime lands for the fact that they can have substantial underground parking and therefore density is not in any way limited... building from scratch one can organize a good safe neighborhood with a proper mix for urbanization being located on main thoroughfares, close to the main shopping in PG, and within short walking distance to all our main educational institutions as well as the regional hospital, and all of our sporting venues.

To just throw that away for a parking lot... or worse yet single family homes... is what is what would be really stupid. If it sits the way it is for 20-years before being developed properly would be better than rushing into a misconceived long term development.

Facts are PG is shrinking in population.. we have a business model in PG for decline... so long as our focus is on downtown PG our business model is one of decline. However if we ever do truly embrace urbanization in PG, then the most strategic land to make that possible is the golf club lands. That won't happen until either we have a growing population that demands it... or we have developers willing to carry that vision. We know the city bureaucracy supports the losing business model.

As for the 'Harper Valley'... I wonder who came up with that name... the area has always been known as the Pedherny Trail area... or more specifically the 'Fire Escape' for the spiraling trail leading out of the backside of the garbage dump. Harper Valley sounds like something coming out of the arrogant elites that want to dump our prime land for a used car lot (cementing our losing business model as a community), so they can be subsidized with tax payer dollars to make their new club house more exclusive and show their conservative credentials. I don't see what the big rush is.....

There should be no residential development at the intersection of #16 and #97 (who wants to breathe the round the clock vehicle emissions at the busiest intersectionin the north?) so that leaves only commercial! An auto mall at the corner would be a terrific idea! Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, all the premium brands that now are only available a day's travel from here in Kelowna!

Why is EVERYTHING so difficult in this town with the administration and the mayor? I fell asleep twice trying to watch the last City Council meeting. The discussions are lackluster without any enthusiasm, on and on it goes, often there is no sound and the picture is so dark as if somebody forgot to switch on the main lights.

Do we really need more car dealerships regardless of where they are located? Part of the world economic mess is because these car manufacturers have been pumping out millions of cars that had no market and got themselves into huge problems that needed a bailout.

do we need any more golf courses, paid for by the city?

When are people going to figure out that the vast majority of PGers couldn't give a rats butt about the downtown.
"Downtown" is a dated concept that has had its day. Wasting this much time and effort worrying about something that is dead is a tragedy.
The only people that really care about downtown are the businesses located there and folks holding on to a nostalgic view of how great having a "dwontown" is.

Get over it!

"Do we really need more car dealerships regardless of where they are located?"

I would leave those decisions to the business people who have already indicated that they are interested in building an Auto Mall. Perhaps they should be forced to build one where nobody can find it?

The global economic mess was caused by USA banks' irresponsible lending and investment habits. Many businesses and individuals became victims, including car manufacturers.

Are people going to stop driving cars and trucks any day soon? They may be electric or whatever, but customers want to see and test drive before they buy them. Hence the need for show rooms which display them.

Start by demolishing the eye sore on the corner and replacing it with a gleaming new modern business structure!

How about relocating city hall to that corner? Instead of car lots why not have strip malls with pawn shops, food banks, Money Marts, and drop in centres? Then maybe the new out of town homeless coming here for the summer don't have to go downtown.

realitycheck,

I agree 100%. Downtown is dead, stop wasting tax payer dollars that we don't have and move on.

For the amount of time and money spent on plans for the golf course,they could of replanted the trees and helped improve the
air quality in the bowl.
I am sure if they polled the members at the golf club ,thay would like to stay where they are at.
I also think the city is in conflict,with its self.

There is enough industrial and buisness there. Use the existing golf course layout turn the land into prime residential, allow a vancouver developer like parklane, etc to develop and build quality homes, not the likes of which I see springing up at the top end of st lawrence.

Harbinger lol, your too funny, but don't give the city any ideas... we know they will run with that one.

Now why don't they consider putting the auto mall down town? They could have both sides of Second Ave. from Queensway as far east as they could go, with used car lots on Third. They could raze from Third to Patricia and Queensway east for the Golf course. If they want some hills, they could incorporate Connaught hill and the whole area of City Hall. Just lob the balls over Queensway. Seems like City Hall isn't being used for anything constructive anyway. We could probably do without it. If we did need it, they could build a new one down on Lansdowne next to the treatment plant and SPCA. It would blend right in.

The old PG Hotel could be their new clubhouse. No drinking and driving. They could just take a room upstairs.