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How Green Was My Valley?


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It's impossible to ignore - from the hostile strip development that lines Highway 97 from the airport (now Canada's 11th busiest with 1.1 passengers per year) to downtown, to the much prettier new residential developments rimming the lake - the Valley is undergoing massive change.

Much of that change is being underwritten by vacation or second home development, the advent of 'clean' technology businesses (the Valley leads the country in geothermal tech) and the expansion of the professions. Of course the wholesale expansion of the UBC campus is drawing a lot of young people and education professionals as well.

With property values and taxes increasing quickly, many are wondering if the Valley might lose some of the charm - based in its orchards and farms - that attracted people in the first place. Alberta license plates and a much noisier lake in the summer are just two signs of the times.

Dowtown Kelowna is making a resurgence. It lost a lot of business over the past decade, but the new residential lofts and towers in devlopment are delivering a new population.

As the Global TV series has portrayed this week, a lot of orchards are being dropped to make room for grapes. Chef Fowke's grandfather wrote an interesting analysis of orcharding practices in the OK that makes for some fascinating reading.

Are there elements of the Valley dropping away that you'll miss?

Looking forward to your thoughts . . .

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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There is one element that could drop away that would please me no end and that is the complete disappearance of Highway 97. I can't express strongly enough what a blight the highway is. If, in the resurgence, some 'high streets' were to emerge it would be a real addition to the area. Other than the limited areas near the lake there are no places that induce strolling. The greenway along Mission Creek is more of a nature trail and isn't what I had in mind. There is far too much reliance on cars and not enough sense of neighbourhoods with local shopping/village areas.

Lose the malls, those god awful strip malls and that wretched strech of Highway that runs from the bridge to the airport. Gain some charm that matches the potential.

(My two cents worth).

Cheers,

Karole

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There is one element that could drop away that would please me no end and that is the complete disappearance of Highway 97. I can't express strongly enough what a blight the highway is. If, in the resurgence, some 'high streets' were to emerge it would be a real addition to the area. Other than the limited areas near the lake there are no places that induce strolling. The greenway along Mission Creek is more of a nature trail and isn't what I had in mind. There is far too much reliance on cars and not enough sense of neighbourhoods with local shopping/village areas.

Lose the malls, those god awful strip malls and that wretched strech of Highway that runs from the bridge to the airport. Gain some charm that matches the potential.

(My two cents worth).

I live in what is ostensibly the country, at the top of Dehart road, surrounded by orchards and vineyards, but in a way I don't:

There are few places to walk in it and I agree with you.

Interestingly Karole, when the wineries or wine tour companies pick up guests at the airport, they now take them into town through the more bucolic areas of Glenmore, rather than down 97. After all, why sour the first impression.

I think that downtown is crawling back. If you follow Canucklehead's and my culinary explorations, they're frequently centred (especially along Bernard and Ellis) along those resurgent streets which are responding to the development of lofts and towers.

NEXT WEEK: The Willows.

Finally, South Pandosy Village is gaining veracity as a proper walking village, with a growing concentration of restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, and -- soon to come -- easier lake access. The redevelopment of Cedar Avenue comes next; hopefully the City will get this mixed-use development launched within the next year, providing a further commercial/residential pedestrian connection between the Village and the lake.

Cheers,

Jamie

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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I went a visited a number vineyards today and it looks like that most of the vines are moving south to Oliver. I am not sure how much of this is due to better conditions around Oliver or the encroachment of development. It was odd and sad to see how new subdivisions were intermingled with the vines at Quail's Gate and Mission Hill in Westbank.

Even as I discover the charms of the valley - it seems that many others have done so before me. While having dinner at Gasthaus - I walked by the local realtor's office and it seems that view lots in Peachland are running 350k - 400k. Not expensive by Vancouver standards - but clearly that is not a rational measure either.

Edited by canucklehead (log)
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I went a visited a number vineyards today and it looks like that most of the vines are moving south to Oliver.  I am not sure how much of this is due to better conditions around Oliver or the encroachment of development.  It was odd and sad to see how new subdivisions were intermingled with the vines at Quail's Gate and Mission Hill in Westbank.

Even as I discover the charms of the valley - it seems that many others have done so before me.  While having dinner at Gasthaus - I walked by the local realtor's office and it seems that view lots in Peachland are running 350k - 400k.  Not expensive by Vancouver standards - but clearly that is not a rational measure either.

Vineyard land around Kelowna is pretty much planted-out; only a few high orchards remain for replanting in grape - mainly white varietals. And yes, it does co-mingle, sometimes strangely, with the beige stucco and white aluminum window frames of 90s subdivisions. And those 'hobby' vineyards that do change hands now come at a stiff price.

In Oliver and Osoyoos, the sales prices for vineyard land on the benches have risen at astonishing rates.

Here's a useful Ministry of Agriculture overview.

Edited by jamiemaw (log)

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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Jamie - while you may extoll the efficiency of WestJet I must remind you that there is a limit to the amount of wine one can easily bring back on a 737. A Honda minivan on the other hand has been known to manage 39 cases of wine without complaint up and over both the Penask Summit and the Coquihalla. So on that front, advantage Honda Odessey.

Unfortunately for us we have traded in the Odessey so those feats of wine transport are but memories. I will now be forced to exercise restraint when visiting the wineries. A whole new experience for me. (Maybe there is a 12-step program?)

Cheers,

Karole

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Are there elements of the Valley dropping away that you'll miss?

My mother grew up in Kelowna, so pretty much all of my summers as a kid were spent there. What do I miss? Wooden boxes of apricots that my brother and I would devour as we returned to the coast via the Hope-Princeton in our old Chevy II station wagon. Somewhat related ... the small independent fruit stands that dotted the old highway up to Vernon. Flinstone's Bedrock City too :laugh:

Unfortunately for us we have traded in the Odessey so those feats of wine transport are but memories. I will now be forced to exercise restraint when visiting the wineries. A whole new experience for me. (Maybe there is a 12-step program?)

Karole ... I'm renting space in the Subaru! It may only hold a dozen cases, but it's better than nothin.

A.

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Jamie - while you may extoll the efficiency of WestJet I must remind you that there is a limit to the amount of wine one can easily bring back on a 737. A Honda minivan on the other hand has been known to manage 39 cases of wine without complaint up and over both the Penask Summit and the Coquihalla. So on that front, advantage Honda Odessey.

Unfortunately for us we have traded in the Odessey so those feats of wine transport are but memories. I will now be forced to exercise restraint when visiting the wineries. A whole new experience for me. (Maybe there is a 12-step program?)

Yes, about four kilometres plus 12 steps from CedarCreek: You're welcome to store it at Treetops, Karole. :biggrin:

from the thinly veneered desk of:

Jamie Maw

Food Editor

Vancouver magazine

www.vancouvermagazine.com

Foodblog: In the Belly of the Feast - Eating BC

"Profumo profondo della mia carne"

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