110: The Current State of Downtown Kelowna with Downtown Kelowna Association's Paula Quinn

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Welcome back to the Colonial Real
Estate Podcast.

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Hey, Matt, I've seen your face on
TV before.

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How's it going?
Obviously, you watch the Seahawks

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game.

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Yeah.

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And yeah, kudos to you.

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You got that all going.

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So thank you.

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That's awesome.

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All right.

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Well, some other kind of exciting

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stuff on TV, LinkedIn posts,
whatever, 50 -year amortization

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potentially in the States.

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What do you think of that?

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Yeah.

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yeah i mean this reminds me more

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of you know some places in europe
like it's generational housing

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that they just like pass on the
house and the debt you know but

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okay does it lower monthly
payments yeah do you pay way more

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off in interest yeah i think what
it initially does is you know it's

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probably gonna quote unquote like
allow some affordability or allow

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people to get into the market for
a very short term well and then

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it's going to increase prices
because now people are gonna be

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able to be approved to buy those
Exactly.

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You're never going to revert back
to like a 25 year.

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Right.

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But I guess the question I have

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is, is it really much different
than what we do in Canada now when

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like every three years someone
sells their home?

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Okay.

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Maybe not every three years, but,

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and then does another 30 year.

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Like, I mean, you could ask

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someone that's in, year.

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could ask someone that's in, in

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the housing market for like 15
years, how long is their

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amortization is probably like.

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22 to 28 years, you know, like

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when rates are super low, people
refi and they generally stretch

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out the amortization.

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So I don't know if it does a lot

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different in terms of like the
overall interest you pay, but it

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is going to like, you know, speed
up that market of getting people

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into the housing market and
probably drive prices up a bit.

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So yeah, I don't, I don't fully
agree with it down there,

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especially like why a 50 year?
Why not bump it up to a 35 or 40

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year?
Like, yeah, it seems a bit

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extreme, you know?
I don't know.

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I don't think so.

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I mean, I guess what's the

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difference of us doing it like an
MLI select 50 year amortization

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for.

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Yeah.

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I don't know.

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It's probably really at the end of

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the day, a bit of a nothing
burger, but it's just like more

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government intervention on this
stuff that likely doesn't need to

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happen.

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But maybe, you know, if you're

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going to do something like that,
do it for a first time home buyer.

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owner occupied like allow them to
get in you know don't just do this

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blanket for everyone and you know
allow the whole the term yeah it's

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lucky which is Yeah.

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term yeah it's lucky which I think

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that if you're doing a 50 year M
and it's like ultra portable.

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then that would make sense.

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Because then you buy one home and

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that's your one mortgage for your
life.

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You're basically in it for 50
years.

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I'll be in your first home.

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first home.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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I mean, it's interesting.

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So it's just the headline stuff,

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right?
Like you hear this and then you

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see how it played out in five
years.

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But yeah, anyways, we'll kind of.

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maybe dive into chatting about

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Paula Quinn from downtown Kelowna
association.

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She's the executive director.

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Awesome show, like super

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interesting.

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I've kind of known about some of

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their programs, but I didn't know
them as like a whole business, but

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we were introduced to her from one
of our past guests and yeah, just

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kind of chatted about the holistic
state of downtown Kelowna right

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now and direction it's going and
you know, what we need to do to,

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to keep it going in the right
direction.

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And she's a very positive person.

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So yeah, love to have Neuro.

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Yeah, she moved there.

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Yeah.

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Honestly, sometimes you think of
it living in like a single family

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house.

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It would be kind of nice just like

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for the convenience to live
downtown in like an apartment and

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go grocery shopping locally.

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Like, yeah, I do kind of miss that

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connection to that like smaller
community a little bit.

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But yeah, she's awesome.

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Very smart, intelligent lady that

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will take a lot of value out of
the show.

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a little bit.

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But Okay, so a quick rundown on

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Paula Quinn.

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Horn & Bread in London, came to

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Canada 25 years ago.

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I was actually in Calgary for a

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few years prior to now being in
Kelowna for 19 years.

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Upon coming into Kelowna, I
started work for a pharmaceutical

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company, family -owned company,
and I worked there for two years.

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I then moved on to work at KF
Aerospace.

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So I was the executive assistant
for 16 years, and I was... also

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the project manager for the Centre
for Excellence.

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So that museum that sits up at the
airport that is shaped like an

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aircraft.

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I worked with all of the

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architects and the engineers and
the construction people to

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realise, you know, Mr. Lapointe's
dream and bring it to fruition and

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learnt a lot about mass timber in
a very short period of time.

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Yes.

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Yeah.

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You have to.

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It has got so much history and it

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is, like you said, it is just a
stunning building.

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It showcases everything of the
artifacts that are there so

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eloquently and really gives a lot
of history to what Kelowna has to

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offer.

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And over the years, you know, how

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they used to truck in aircrafts on
the back of the truck, put them

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together, then fly them down the
lake, take them apart again, truck

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them somewhere else.

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And that's how they used to do it

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because they couldn't get up and
over the mountains.

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So it really showcases how, you
know, the Volscian.

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of the engine and of the aircraft
has allowed that to happen.

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And now we have the 10th largest
airport in Canada, which is

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amazing.

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And that, sorry, the 10th largest,

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is that after the current
renovation expansion that's going

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on or is that?
That's before.

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or is that?
That's before.

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Before, wow.

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So, you know, the airport is a

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huge economic driver for us in
Kelowna.

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And obviously, you know, KF is a
huge economic driver as well with

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the ability to be able to bring in
aircrafts and skilled mechanics to

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be able to work on the aircrafts
themselves.

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And it really does make a small
little town a bigger dot on the

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international stage.

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I thought maybe I could just sit

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on a yoga mat for a couple of
months.

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So I decided to depart the
corporate world and look for

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something that was more meaningful
for my values and what I wanted to

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be able to do for my community.

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I've sat on a lot of boards and

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given my time freely to non -for
-profits and to our community

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because I love the businesses, I
love the people, I love the

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collaboration.

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enjoy so immensely getting people

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connected.

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and making things happen.

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I'm the vice chair on the COEDC.

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I was on the chamber board for

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four years.

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I've worked with BC Cancer.

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I was on Mamas for Mamas.

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I'm also on the EBC board.

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So, you know, empowering women and
lending and loaning money for

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businesses and being able to lean
back and help others to be able to

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get, you know, further ahead and
do better by themselves.

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I thought I wanted to sit on a
yoga mat.

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Apparently, I do not.

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So I went and worked for a local

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non -for -profit, which was a
gymnastics club, which is in

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Rutland, Okanagan Gymnastics.

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And they needed somebody to be

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able to come in and just get the
financials back up running again

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and get, you know, a new breath of
fresh air into the establishment.

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And I did that for nine months and
got it to a point where it...

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would run itself.

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And this job came up and I just

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thought, this is perfect for
Paula.

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I need to be a part of back
downtown again.

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So I sold my house up at
Gallagher's and moved back down

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into the Lower Mission, seven
minutes from work and available

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then and enjoying it immensely.

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And I've been here since June.

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Well, I lived downtown before
because I come from London and I'm

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used to a community.

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I like that feel.

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You know, I like riding my bike.

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I like to be able to go to my

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local shops and my stores and buy
what I need to locally.

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It's within me and it's how I was
brought up.

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So I wanted to get back to that.

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I didn't realise how much I'd

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missed being away and outside of
the peripheral.

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And so once I had the ability to
be able to come back here, I just,

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I loved being able to, you know,
have them coffee meets, walk

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and... get my groceries and put
them on my little bike and on my

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little basket and then poodle back
off home again.

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So enjoying that immensely and
then to be able to bring, you

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know, all my years of experience
to a position so unique as this

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one was very, very exciting.

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I felt that we were very well

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established, the on -call team,
the clean team, but the actual

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story behind the why of what the
DKA actually is, you know, the

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Downtown Kelowna Association.

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I felt that our businesses didn't

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really know what we did and who we
were.

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And so I've been tasked with
myself to make sure that people

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understand who we are, what we
are, and what we are able to do

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and help with our businesses and
be a voice for them.

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I recently hosted a town hall with
the businesses.

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I mean, everyone said, are you
stupid, Paula?

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You're going to stand there and
allow them to...

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And I said, yes, absolutely,
because they have to have somebody

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that's willing to listen to them.

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And what we found was very, very,

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very exciting.

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They weren't downbeat.

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They weren't, woe is me and look
at us, we've got all these

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troubles and blah, blah, blah.

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They were very upbeat and they

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just wanted somebody to listen to
them.

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So it was absolutely so
enthralling for all of us to be

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able to do that and have a safe
place to do it.

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And they just want somebody.

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to listen to them and they want

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somebody to have their voice for
them and be able to present back

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to city be that person who can
talk to somebody at the city and

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to be able to be here for them and
listen to what they have to say so

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that was very very exciting and
for me it's again getting the word

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out there of what we are able to
do how we can help and who we are

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and what we are and what we bring
to the downtown core So we are a

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business improvement association.

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We receive a levy from the city to

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be able to supply all the services
to the downtown core.

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So we're able to offer on -call
team who will attend in the

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mornings to ensure that people's
businesses are able to open and

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have free doorway and entryways
decluttered and delittered and

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cleaned up and ready for the day's
business.

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We also as well, obviously, we are
not security, but what we are is a

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voice, again, for the unhoused.

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We have a very good reputation

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with them.

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00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,340
We have a very good understanding

250
00:12:19,340 --> 00:12:19,780
with them.

251
00:12:19,780 --> 00:12:21,860
We know most of them by first name

252
00:12:21,860 --> 00:12:22,040
terms.

253
00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,460
And what we're able to do is be

254
00:12:23,460 --> 00:12:30,140
able to have that conversation
with them and get them to, you

255
00:12:30,140 --> 00:12:34,820
know, where they need to be, if
it's for medical reasons or for

256
00:12:34,820 --> 00:12:36,860
food, and not in a way that
escalates.

257
00:12:36,860 --> 00:12:40,660
Sometimes with the police, it can,
you know, escalate and they get

258
00:12:40,660 --> 00:12:41,260
very angry.

259
00:12:41,260 --> 00:12:43,700
have a conversation with them and

260
00:12:43,700 --> 00:12:49,540
just say to them, look, you know,
Joe or Fred, whatever it is, let's

261
00:12:49,540 --> 00:12:50,560
go along.

262
00:12:50,560 --> 00:12:52,060
You know what the score is.

263
00:12:52,060 --> 00:12:56,710
Let's go and get lunch or, you
know, have you had your

264
00:12:56,730 --> 00:12:58,210
medication?
And we have them conversations

265
00:12:58,210 --> 00:12:58,790
with them.

266
00:12:59,050 --> 00:13:01,310
So they have a tendency to be more

267
00:13:01,310 --> 00:13:01,630
willing.

268
00:13:01,630 --> 00:13:03,470
They'll still drag their heels,

269
00:13:03,470 --> 00:13:06,590
but they're more willing to go off
and do what they need to do and

270
00:13:06,590 --> 00:13:08,750
depart from the doorway or
wherever they're staying.

271
00:13:08,750 --> 00:13:10,730
We also offer an after -work walk
to their car.

272
00:13:10,730 --> 00:13:12,890
Some people in the later, you
know, the darker evenings feel

273
00:13:12,890 --> 00:13:13,090
unsafe.

274
00:13:13,090 --> 00:13:15,190
So we offer a walk to car service

275
00:13:15,190 --> 00:13:19,010
and we also do the same thing in
the dark mornings.

276
00:13:19,010 --> 00:13:22,970
And, you know, we have a lot of
younger generation working in the

277
00:13:22,970 --> 00:13:24,230
restaurants and in the service
field.

278
00:13:24,230 --> 00:13:26,410
So, you know, the businesses enjoy
that they're able to offer that to

279
00:13:26,410 --> 00:13:28,710
their staff and they feel a lot
safer about that.

280
00:13:28,710 --> 00:13:29,250
So that's excellent.

281
00:13:29,250 --> 00:13:30,570
Secondly, you know, we patrol all

282
00:13:30,730 --> 00:13:34,610
day long as well and walk around
or drive around in the little red

283
00:13:34,610 --> 00:13:34,790
cars.

284
00:13:34,790 --> 00:13:35,490
You've seen them.

285
00:13:35,490 --> 00:13:37,950
And we also have a clean team.

286
00:13:37,950 --> 00:13:39,230
That is above and beyond whatever

287
00:13:39,230 --> 00:13:40,890
else the city does as well.

288
00:13:40,890 --> 00:13:42,950
And we are able to be, you know,

289
00:13:42,950 --> 00:13:45,950
instant cleaner upper of any
evocation that's been taking place

290
00:13:45,950 --> 00:13:49,550
in any of the buildings or on the
side streets.

291
00:13:49,550 --> 00:13:53,460
And also as well to ensure that
for the beautification of our

292
00:13:53,460 --> 00:13:56,620
downtown core, it is looked after
and swept up and cleaned on an all

293
00:13:56,620 --> 00:13:56,940
-day basis.

294
00:13:56,940 --> 00:13:59,540
And we also as well carry out all

295
00:13:59,540 --> 00:14:02,560
the marketing and the promotions
for the downtown core.

296
00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:07,320
We support and sponsor a lot of
the downtown events that are

297
00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,940
happening and have a lot of
inclusion with the big events to

298
00:14:09,940 --> 00:14:11,820
ensure that the businesses are
kept informed.

299
00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:16,260
And, you know, it doesn't affect
their daily work life and their

300
00:14:16,260 --> 00:14:18,840
business, but only will it enhance
it.

301
00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:19,100
Wow.

302
00:14:19,100 --> 00:14:20,340
Is this common for other

303
00:14:20,340 --> 00:14:22,240
municipalities?
Like I know actually downtown

304
00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,860
Vernon Association is one of my
tenants in my commercial building.

305
00:14:24,860 --> 00:14:28,100
And I don't think they do any kind
of holistic safety, cleanliness,

306
00:14:28,100 --> 00:14:32,380
like that mediator, you know?
You know, this is a really good

307
00:14:32,380 --> 00:14:34,860
question because we are the third
largest EIA in BC.

308
00:14:34,860 --> 00:14:37,880
So we have a very good
relationship with the EIA BC,

309
00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:41,800
which is obviously the business
improvement for the whole of BC.

310
00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:47,000
And they come to us for a lot of
expertise on how we've managed to

311
00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:50,240
do this program for the budget
that we have and the amount of

312
00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:51,520
people that we have.

313
00:14:51,740 --> 00:14:54,620
Being able to offer this service

314
00:14:54,620 --> 00:14:56,960
is very unique, you know.

315
00:14:56,960 --> 00:14:58,320
Smaller municipalities have tried

316
00:14:58,320 --> 00:15:00,700
to reinvent, but it's very
difficult unless you know what

317
00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:02,840
you're doing and how to implement
it.

318
00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,020
It can easily not go so well.

319
00:15:05,020 --> 00:15:07,340
So we advise and help and share

320
00:15:07,500 --> 00:15:11,000
whenever we are asked to help them
to be successful as well, because

321
00:15:11,000 --> 00:15:12,140
it truly is unique.

322
00:15:12,140 --> 00:15:14,640
you know facility and service that

323
00:15:14,640 --> 00:15:17,600
we bring to this downtown call i
mean i know you've only been in

324
00:15:17,600 --> 00:15:22,380
this role somewhat recently but
obviously like you're a fairly

325
00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,830
integral part of the business
community here i guess what is the

326
00:15:26,830 --> 00:15:30,750
current state like as a holistic
approach of mean i know you've

327
00:15:30,750 --> 00:15:34,530
only been in this role somewhat
recently but obviously like you're

328
00:15:34,530 --> 00:15:37,790
a fairly integral part of the
business community here i guess

329
00:15:37,790 --> 00:15:40,630
what is the current state like as
a holistic approach of Kelowna,

330
00:15:40,630 --> 00:15:42,930
right?
We see a lot of like media

331
00:15:42,930 --> 00:15:45,670
headlines or we hear a lot of, you
know, people just talking, hey,

332
00:15:45,670 --> 00:15:49,230
tourism's down the last couple of
years or, you know, homeless

333
00:15:49,230 --> 00:15:53,970
population is growing or mental
health issues are happening, you

334
00:15:53,970 --> 00:15:55,590
know, specifically from, you know,
COVID years.

335
00:15:55,590 --> 00:15:58,290
But what are you seeing like boots
on the ground?

336
00:15:58,290 --> 00:16:01,690
What's like the health status of
Kelowna economically?

337
00:16:01,690 --> 00:16:04,270
mental health, like what direction
are we trending?

338
00:16:04,270 --> 00:16:07,190
Well, to be honest with you, I'm
such an upbeat person.

339
00:16:07,190 --> 00:16:09,010
Anyway, my glass is always
harmful.

340
00:16:09,010 --> 00:16:14,470
And the way I look at life is
that, you know, there's always

341
00:16:14,470 --> 00:16:16,930
somebody worse off than you and
everybody has the right to be

342
00:16:16,930 --> 00:16:20,330
heard and everybody has the right
to respect and, you know, have a

343
00:16:20,330 --> 00:16:22,350
certain alliance made for
positions that they find

344
00:16:22,350 --> 00:16:22,910
themselves in.

345
00:16:22,910 --> 00:16:15,390
I'm not there to judge them and I

346
00:16:15,390 --> 00:16:16,930
don't think others should be there
to judge either.

347
00:16:16,930 --> 00:16:20,210
For the grace of God, go I. But
really, realistically, you know,

348
00:16:20,210 --> 00:16:22,350
I've have found that the
businesses, they're very upbeat,

349
00:16:22,350 --> 00:16:27,250
but they also realize that they
need to give a positive tone.

350
00:16:27,330 --> 00:16:29,450
They want to be able to give that
positive tone because we want

351
00:16:29,450 --> 00:16:30,210
people to come downtown.

352
00:16:30,370 --> 00:16:32,550
And that's why I always say

353
00:16:32,550 --> 00:16:33,950
collectively to have one voice for
all.

354
00:16:33,950 --> 00:16:37,130
The reasoning behind that is that
people stop reporting that they've

355
00:16:37,130 --> 00:16:40,350
had maybe a window broken and it
happens in an overpopulated area,

356
00:16:40,350 --> 00:16:41,430
you know, whoever that may be.

357
00:16:41,430 --> 00:16:42,870
And they stop reporting because

358
00:16:42,870 --> 00:16:48,160
They don't want people to see the
bad side of things.

359
00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:51,180
And that is the wrong message as
well, because then the city and

360
00:16:51,180 --> 00:16:53,320
the police all start thinking,
well, things are all getting

361
00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:53,980
better.

362
00:16:53,980 --> 00:16:55,560
You know, we have lots of down, et

363
00:16:55,660 --> 00:16:56,420
cetera, et cetera.

364
00:16:56,420 --> 00:16:58,160
So, you know, I'm trying to offer

365
00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:00,980
a service where I can to my
customers, to my businesses, that

366
00:17:00,980 --> 00:17:03,180
they can report it to us.

367
00:17:03,320 --> 00:17:06,619
We can use that for the betterment

368
00:17:06,619 --> 00:17:07,980
of, you know, specific areas.

369
00:17:08,119 --> 00:17:09,400
Find out where is the crucial, you

370
00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:10,920
know, touch points that we need to
be at.

371
00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:14,920
be there for prevention rather
than the cure they are all there

372
00:17:15,040 --> 00:17:19,480
for the collective of you know
come downtown it is safe we don't

373
00:17:19,500 --> 00:17:23,280
feel unsafe sometimes the bad rat
that we get in the media is never

374
00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:26,599
about the good it's always about
what has gone wrong you know so

375
00:17:26,599 --> 00:17:31,400
many windows broken or is this or
other you know is very much i know

376
00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,200
their newspapers and their news.

377
00:17:33,200 --> 00:17:35,520
But it really doesn't really do

378
00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,240
anybody any favors.

379
00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:39,300
And although we don't need to not

380
00:17:39,300 --> 00:17:44,700
talk about it, what we do need to
do is put it into perspective with

381
00:17:44,700 --> 00:17:49,090
everything else that is going on a
day -to -day basis that is good,

382
00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:49,990
that is positive.

383
00:17:49,990 --> 00:17:50,450
It's huge.

384
00:17:50,450 --> 00:17:51,290
It's huge.

385
00:17:51,290 --> 00:17:52,570
I've got some facts here.

386
00:17:52,570 --> 00:17:55,410
I mean, basically, they reckon by
2040, we have 7 ,000 residents at

387
00:17:55,590 --> 00:17:56,590
this time in downtown Kelowna.

388
00:17:56,590 --> 00:17:58,750
We have an area of the downtown

389
00:17:59,150 --> 00:17:59,350
core itself.

390
00:17:59,410 --> 00:18:00,510
It's 38 kilometers squared, which

391
00:18:00,510 --> 00:18:02,690
is 18 % of the whole city.

392
00:18:02,970 --> 00:18:04,490
We have projected here in 2040

393
00:18:04,490 --> 00:18:06,630
will be double the residents,
which is housing.

394
00:18:06,630 --> 00:18:08,290
daycare, workspace, mobility,
nightlife, restaurants,

395
00:18:08,290 --> 00:18:10,390
densification downtown equals
stable base for retailers,

396
00:18:10,390 --> 00:18:12,130
hospitality, small businesses and
professional services.

397
00:18:12,130 --> 00:18:15,670
So it really is pinnacle to an
everyday life in a city that is

398
00:18:15,670 --> 00:18:19,150
made up like colonaries with a lot
of pockets of outer areas.

399
00:18:19,150 --> 00:18:23,750
The need for a central place for
everybody to come to collectively

400
00:18:23,750 --> 00:18:24,530
is huge.

401
00:18:24,530 --> 00:18:27,130
The event this past weekend for

402
00:18:27,130 --> 00:18:28,590
the Hoppy Parade was absolutely
outstanding.

403
00:18:28,590 --> 00:18:29,830
I was there too.

404
00:18:29,830 --> 00:18:30,550
there too.

405
00:18:30,550 --> 00:18:30,850
Fantastic.

406
00:18:30,850 --> 00:18:31,410
It was divine.

407
00:18:31,410 --> 00:18:34,750
I mean, to see... families the
dogs the kids and listening to

408
00:18:34,750 --> 00:18:40,020
them asking questions and all of
that age diversification was just

409
00:18:40,020 --> 00:18:44,900
so exciting to see and it had a
certain buzz about it and i've had

410
00:18:44,900 --> 00:18:48,320
emails this morning you know
haven't been downtown for a while

411
00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,460
came down for the memorial service
what a great event to have

412
00:18:51,460 --> 00:18:53,180
everybody there together ccmas
absolutely huge that what they

413
00:18:53,180 --> 00:19:03,810
took away from this city when they
went back to saskatchit to and off

414
00:19:03,810 --> 00:19:06,490
to their various places was just
nothing but praise.

415
00:19:06,490 --> 00:19:11,130
all the beauty the people you know
all of the facilities that were

416
00:19:11,130 --> 00:19:15,790
available to them every time we
have an event down here we beat

417
00:19:15,790 --> 00:19:20,550
canada day we have nearly 19 000
people here for the show and shine

418
00:19:20,550 --> 00:19:26,330
you know people like to gyrate to
that central core and to being

419
00:19:26,940 --> 00:19:33,300
connected to their community it's
such an intrinsically beautiful

420
00:19:33,300 --> 00:19:38,880
place like right along the water
mountains every direction you look

421
00:19:39,140 --> 00:19:42,300
it's like such an intrinsically
beautiful place like right along

422
00:19:42,300 --> 00:19:44,940
the water mountains every
direction you look it's like very

423
00:19:44,940 --> 00:19:50,260
nice place you take it for granted
as someone that like is from here

424
00:19:50,260 --> 00:19:55,460
and you like yourself like you
live there so you see it every day

425
00:19:55,460 --> 00:20:00,720
but someone that you know we're
only 15 minutes away from downtown

426
00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:04,250
but we just don't go there as
often as we probably should but

427
00:20:04,250 --> 00:20:10,290
like you know when my wife and i
go out for dinner there once in a

428
00:20:10,290 --> 00:20:16,090
blue moon we're like take it for
granted as someone that like is

429
00:20:16,090 --> 00:20:19,410
from here and you like yourself
like you live there so you see it

430
00:20:19,410 --> 00:20:22,750
every day but someone that you
know we're only 15 minutes away

431
00:20:22,750 --> 00:20:28,730
from downtown but we just don't go
there as often as we probably

432
00:20:28,730 --> 00:20:33,240
should but like you know when my
wife and i go out for dinner there

433
00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:39,350
once in a blue moon we're like Why
do we not come here more often?

434
00:20:39,350 --> 00:20:41,490
Like, this is such a cool city.

435
00:20:41,490 --> 00:20:44,470
So I guess, like, how do you get

436
00:20:44,470 --> 00:20:47,650
more people down there?
And then to your point, you were

437
00:20:47,650 --> 00:20:50,430
talking about with densification
and population growth in that

438
00:20:50,430 --> 00:20:50,530
area.

439
00:20:50,530 --> 00:20:51,910
Like, what are the barriers that

440
00:20:51,910 --> 00:20:55,590
we're currently seeing, you know,
as a city or downtown Kelowna

441
00:20:55,590 --> 00:20:58,930
association?
Like, how do we densify and how do

442
00:20:58,930 --> 00:21:01,210
we bring more people into the
local area?

443
00:21:01,210 --> 00:20:59,730
Well, I mean, the first thing I've
got to talk to is park.

444
00:20:59,730 --> 00:20:59,970
Okay.

445
00:20:59,970 --> 00:21:01,990
Everybody says, you know, there's

446
00:21:01,990 --> 00:21:03,090
no way to park.

447
00:21:03,090 --> 00:21:05,360
We have many parking spots

448
00:21:05,360 --> 00:21:08,100
available at all times, but it's
the fact they can't park right

449
00:21:08,100 --> 00:21:10,360
outside the store that they might
have to.

450
00:21:10,360 --> 00:21:12,860
So for me, that's the whole point
of getting out of your car,

451
00:21:12,860 --> 00:21:15,300
leaving it somewhere and then
walking to everything that is

452
00:21:15,300 --> 00:21:17,720
available to you because you don't
get to see it all.

453
00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:19,720
And like you said, it's the
ability to be able to look up and

454
00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:20,400
see and notice.

455
00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:05,860
and be drawn to another area that

456
00:21:05,860 --> 00:21:09,120
maybe you haven't been to, like up
to the bird reserve, up by the

457
00:21:09,120 --> 00:21:10,980
Delta, that walk around the port
wall.

458
00:21:10,980 --> 00:21:14,240
You know, just all of the new
parks and all of the new parks for

459
00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:15,420
the kiddos and the families.

460
00:21:15,420 --> 00:21:16,820
It is having that ability.

461
00:21:16,820 --> 00:21:19,320
I've racked my brain of trying to
come up with ideas and I've even

462
00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:21,280
thought about a counter on the
parking meters so people know how

463
00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:23,060
many steps they've made or walked
to get to somewhere.

464
00:21:23,060 --> 00:21:24,180
Just even some sort of incentives.

465
00:21:24,180 --> 00:21:25,800
We know where a car costs.

466
00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,380
Canada is a country for cars
because we're so vast.

467
00:21:28,380 --> 00:21:32,040
But there is still so much to be
seen on foot as well, and it's

468
00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:34,140
okay to walk a couple of yards.

469
00:21:34,140 --> 00:21:37,000
The bus routes, you know, we don't

470
00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:38,520
have very good transportation.

471
00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:40,920
And again, because we are so car

472
00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:44,360
-driven that we really don't look
too much to the older generation

473
00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:45,820
and the younger generation.

474
00:21:45,820 --> 00:21:46,980
that their parents won't even let

475
00:21:46,980 --> 00:21:50,040
on a bus nowadays, again, because
of the scaremongering.

476
00:21:50,060 --> 00:21:53,010
It's getting that sense of
community back again and that

477
00:21:53,010 --> 00:21:56,890
sense of it's okay to do this.

478
00:21:56,890 --> 00:21:59,550
We are allowed to do this and we

479
00:21:59,550 --> 00:22:02,830
are not allowed to let them not
let us do it.

480
00:22:02,830 --> 00:22:05,890
And so we really have to take back
ownership of this and really start

481
00:22:05,890 --> 00:22:09,630
looking at, you know, getting out
there and making the most of what

482
00:22:09,630 --> 00:22:10,590
we have available and enjoying
that.

483
00:22:11,030 --> 00:22:13,610
You know, we lived in Shanghai for
a few years, right?

484
00:22:13,610 --> 00:22:15,570
It's a massive city, obviously.

485
00:22:15,570 --> 00:22:18,390
Like it felt like a smaller

486
00:22:18,390 --> 00:22:20,810
community than Kelowna because
their transportation was insanely

487
00:22:20,810 --> 00:22:21,390
good there.

488
00:22:21,390 --> 00:22:22,950
Like the shared bikes, taxis,

489
00:22:22,950 --> 00:22:26,310
subways, like you could be
anywhere in the heart of city in

490
00:22:26,310 --> 00:22:26,430
minutes.

491
00:22:26,630 --> 00:22:28,430
And then Kelowna, it's like, oh, I

492
00:22:28,430 --> 00:22:31,050
got a 15 minute drive downtown and
then parking and then whatever.

493
00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:34,980
But if you can just like, you
know, this summer we were on the

494
00:22:34,980 --> 00:22:37,620
bikes a lot and it does make the
town feel smaller.

495
00:22:37,620 --> 00:22:40,420
Like it makes it feel like more of
a community.

496
00:22:40,420 --> 00:22:41,020
Exactly, exactly.

497
00:22:41,020 --> 00:22:43,720
And we need to do more within the

498
00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:44,160
city.

499
00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:46,780
And I know I sit on a couple of

500
00:22:46,780 --> 00:22:52,810
roundtables where we're, you know,
trying to find out what can we do?

501
00:22:52,810 --> 00:22:55,830
Where do these hubs need to be?
You know, even, you know, a little

502
00:22:55,830 --> 00:22:58,630
electric vehicles buzzing around
and just picking up people from,

503
00:22:58,630 --> 00:23:00,890
you know, the seniors' homes,
bringing them downtown and getting

504
00:23:00,890 --> 00:23:06,550
them to see that it's safe and
it's cool to be down here and

505
00:23:06,550 --> 00:23:08,110
there's lots to do.

506
00:23:08,110 --> 00:23:09,670
And the businesses will then

507
00:23:09,670 --> 00:23:12,010
thrive and really will bring back.

508
00:23:12,010 --> 00:23:12,930
that beautification, not only in

509
00:23:12,930 --> 00:23:16,890
the Bernard and around the court,
it's around the whole city.

510
00:23:16,890 --> 00:23:20,570
You know, we have so many other
businesses and venues to go to

511
00:23:20,570 --> 00:23:21,710
around the flight streets.

512
00:23:21,710 --> 00:23:23,330
You know, I want to host markets

513
00:23:23,330 --> 00:23:24,370
in the alleyways because...

514
00:23:24,370 --> 00:23:26,850
You then open up a whole new world

515
00:23:26,850 --> 00:23:29,810
and it's all that rubbing
shoulders with people and just,

516
00:23:29,810 --> 00:23:32,730
you know, bartering and carrying
your little recyclable tote and

517
00:23:32,730 --> 00:23:33,350
buying locally.

518
00:23:33,350 --> 00:23:34,450
And that's what it's all about.

519
00:23:34,450 --> 00:23:37,350
Has, what's it called?
Meet on Bernard in the summer when

520
00:23:37,350 --> 00:23:38,370
they close?
Yeah, Meet Beyond Bernard.

521
00:23:38,390 --> 00:23:41,020
Yeah, Yeah, like how is that
progressing?

522
00:23:41,020 --> 00:23:43,700
I mean, it seems like such a great
idea.

523
00:23:43,700 --> 00:23:49,060
I see like, you know, when you go
to Europe or something like those,

524
00:23:49,300 --> 00:23:50,880
those streets that they close down
and just like.

525
00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:52,600
So many people come in.

526
00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:54,140
It's such a cool community.

527
00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:57,040
Have we kind of gotten to where
like we want to on Meet on Bernard

528
00:23:57,040 --> 00:23:59,280
or like what are the next steps to
evolve that?

529
00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:01,880
Have Well, you know, it's a very
lengthy conversation to have, for

530
00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,880
one, but I'll condense it into a
nutshell.

531
00:24:03,880 --> 00:24:08,210
Meet Me on Bernard is an amazing
reason to shut the roads, have

532
00:24:08,210 --> 00:24:10,350
everybody being able to walk, and
the pedestrianisation of that, and

533
00:24:10,350 --> 00:24:13,210
the activations that we put in
place, you know, large chess

534
00:24:13,370 --> 00:24:14,610
games, scrabble games,
opportunities to take photographs

535
00:24:14,610 --> 00:24:15,710
with the family, etc. It is
absolutely...

536
00:24:15,710 --> 00:24:15,950
Brilliant.

537
00:24:15,950 --> 00:24:16,910
And I love that.

538
00:24:17,070 --> 00:24:19,890
And then we have our night markets
on a Thursday.

539
00:24:19,890 --> 00:24:24,550
And before we used to be sort of
like pushed down into Kerry Park.

540
00:24:24,550 --> 00:24:27,490
And this next year, we're looking
to do something totally different

541
00:24:27,490 --> 00:24:30,290
and bringing it further into the
downtown core and spreading that

542
00:24:30,290 --> 00:24:30,610
out.

543
00:24:30,750 --> 00:24:32,490
And then having, you know,

544
00:24:32,490 --> 00:24:37,300
musicians and I'm on a Ferris
wheel at the top by Safeway.

545
00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:38,700
I mean, seriously, boys.

546
00:24:38,700 --> 00:24:39,780
It's about opening it to everybody

547
00:24:39,780 --> 00:24:43,600
and getting... them to appreciate
that the kids need to be taken

548
00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:47,400
care of because if the kids are
taken care of and they've got

549
00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:51,890
something to do, the mom and dad
are going to sit there and have a

550
00:24:51,890 --> 00:24:55,030
glass of wine and something to
eat, you know, and then they'll

551
00:24:55,030 --> 00:24:56,430
stay down here longer.

552
00:24:56,430 --> 00:24:58,730
So again, it's just making that

553
00:24:58,730 --> 00:25:02,210
family orientation there and
getting it to be a more of a

554
00:25:02,310 --> 00:25:04,090
family -based shopping experience
and having activities for people

555
00:25:04,090 --> 00:25:05,770
to do and to enjoy and to
appreciate.

556
00:25:06,730 --> 00:25:09,390
Honestly, we talk about that all
the time too, like where can we go

557
00:25:09,390 --> 00:25:11,670
where the kids are going to be?
distracted or entertained.

558
00:25:11,670 --> 00:25:11,750
Exactly.

559
00:25:11,750 --> 00:25:12,030
Yeah.

560
00:25:12,030 --> 00:25:14,850
With Bernard, McDonald's is coming
in there.

561
00:25:14,850 --> 00:25:15,070
Yeah.

562
00:25:15,070 --> 00:25:17,670
Like, I know you guys don't have a

563
00:25:17,670 --> 00:25:19,750
voice on that, or maybe there is
like some municipality connection

564
00:25:19,750 --> 00:25:22,670
in there, but like, is that the
direction we're kind of going in

565
00:25:22,670 --> 00:25:23,930
that area?
Like, is there no on that?

566
00:25:23,930 --> 00:25:25,980
that?
Well, if you were a city and you

567
00:25:26,040 --> 00:25:29,500
had a business that come to you
and said, I want to be in your

568
00:25:29,500 --> 00:25:33,320
downtown, you don't have the
ability to say yes or no. You

569
00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:34,340
can't vet them.

570
00:25:34,620 --> 00:25:35,100
Okay.

571
00:25:35,100 --> 00:25:40,960
And the way I'm looking at this
is, you know what, if you want a

572
00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:42,780
McDonald's, you're going to go to
a McDonald's.

573
00:25:42,780 --> 00:25:48,980
So why not have one here so people
have the opportunity to come and

574
00:25:48,980 --> 00:25:53,520
go to McDonald's downtown?
It's the same as with Tim Hortons.

575
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,080
People who want Tim Hortons are
going to go to Tim Hortons,

576
00:25:57,080 --> 00:26:00,360
regardless of wherever it is, and
have the ability to be able to

577
00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:02,100
take the kids, you know, downtown.

578
00:26:02,100 --> 00:26:05,120
Again, they can go and get their

579
00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:07,340
McDonald's meal and whatever.

580
00:26:07,340 --> 00:26:09,100
You're giving them that choice.

581
00:26:09,100 --> 00:26:11,980
Everyone says, oh, it should be
little coffee shops.

582
00:26:11,980 --> 00:26:12,700
It should be that.

583
00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:13,840
Not everybody wants a nice little

584
00:26:13,940 --> 00:26:17,860
coffee shop with the best latte.

585
00:26:17,860 --> 00:26:21,180
They want to be able to have a

586
00:26:21,180 --> 00:26:21,320
McDonald's.

587
00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:22,080
They want their fries.

588
00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:23,180
They want, you know, their Big
Macs.

589
00:26:23,180 --> 00:26:25,100
So why not give it to them?
Because they're going to go

590
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:26,220
somewhere else to get it.

591
00:26:26,220 --> 00:26:26,860
And I've actually personally met

592
00:26:26,860 --> 00:26:29,980
the owner and we had a very, very
good meeting with the manager.

593
00:26:29,980 --> 00:26:33,400
No, you know, it was great to meet
the person and to have this

594
00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,240
conversation with him.

595
00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:36,980
So he knew who we were, what we're

596
00:26:36,980 --> 00:26:39,300
able to do.

597
00:26:39,300 --> 00:26:43,320
But what have you put in place to

598
00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:47,160
be able to mitigate A, B, C and D?
And, you know, they had a plan.

599
00:26:47,260 --> 00:26:48,100
They have a business plan.

600
00:26:48,100 --> 00:26:49,020
They're very organized in what

601
00:26:49,020 --> 00:26:53,860
they're going to do and how
they're going to do it.

602
00:26:53,860 --> 00:26:58,140
And they are not not aware of what
they're up against as well.

603
00:26:58,140 --> 00:27:00,580
And they've been prepared and
they've got their business plan in

604
00:27:00,580 --> 00:27:01,320
place.

605
00:27:01,320 --> 00:27:03,840
And you know what I say, give them

606
00:27:03,840 --> 00:27:05,220
the opportunity to be able to do
that.

607
00:27:05,220 --> 00:27:06,860
Let's monopolize on people who
want McDonald's.

608
00:27:06,860 --> 00:27:07,140
Okay.

609
00:27:06,860 --> 00:27:08,700
Well, I guess at that point, you

610
00:27:08,700 --> 00:27:10,840
know, we were talking about 2040
numbers.

611
00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:12,360
What is the vision?
Like, what do we want for Kelowna

612
00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:14,520
in 2040?
Like, what do you want for

613
00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:15,320
Kelowna?
Well, you know what?

614
00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:16,980
Everyone says we want a second
bridge.

615
00:27:17,870 --> 00:27:18,290
Okay, great.

616
00:27:18,290 --> 00:27:20,510
What are you going to do with your

617
00:27:20,510 --> 00:27:22,790
second bridge?
You haven't got enough roads

618
00:27:22,870 --> 00:27:23,510
bringing it into the second
bridge.

619
00:27:23,510 --> 00:27:25,970
So what are you going to do about
that?

620
00:27:25,970 --> 00:27:29,110
I mean, there is a bigger picture
to be looked at, for sure.

621
00:27:29,860 --> 00:27:32,500
I just want to make sure that
enough care and attention is given

622
00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:35,560
to that bigger picture, that we
look at everything, look at the

623
00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:39,040
infrastructure that we have in
place, and not just put a Band

624
00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:39,740
-Aid on something.

625
00:27:39,820 --> 00:27:41,480
Let's look at, is this really

626
00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:46,180
going to make a difference?
And how are we going to be able

627
00:27:46,180 --> 00:27:48,920
to, you know, to... sustain this
growth and be able to still give

628
00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:52,260
everybody what they would need and
want, plus to keep the beauty that

629
00:27:52,520 --> 00:27:54,060
we have and the uniqueness that we
have.

630
00:27:54,060 --> 00:27:57,140
And I think it just needs to have
some caring attention given to it.

631
00:27:57,360 --> 00:27:59,710
and listen to others and not just
think that your vision is the

632
00:27:59,710 --> 00:28:07,070
right one and make sure that we
have the people that know what

633
00:28:07,070 --> 00:28:09,450
they're doing when they're making
these decisions yeah we definitely

634
00:28:09,450 --> 00:28:20,550
i mean matt and i we live in an
echo chamber sometimes so yeah

635
00:28:20,550 --> 00:28:23,290
it's good to to hear those
business owners and locals walking

636
00:28:23,290 --> 00:28:25,170
through the street supporting
those owners yep definitely

637
00:28:25,250 --> 00:28:28,210
barriers we definitely i mean matt
and i we live in an echo chamber

638
00:28:28,270 --> 00:28:31,250
sometimes so yeah it's good to to
hear those business owners and

639
00:28:31,450 --> 00:28:34,010
locals walking through the street
supporting those owners definitely

640
00:28:34,010 --> 00:28:34,690
Um, the rights.

641
00:28:34,690 --> 00:28:35,670
all right let's start at the top

642
00:28:35,670 --> 00:28:41,070
right i mean why bite off your
nose to spite your face i mean

643
00:28:41,070 --> 00:28:44,900
let's be reasonable about it the
drive and the need to always be

644
00:28:44,900 --> 00:28:47,880
exclusive is wrong we need to be
inclusive and i think we really

645
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:51,640
need to be able to try and make it
more reasonable for people to

646
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,020
actually make money we have this
not greed it is almost like a a

647
00:28:54,020 --> 00:28:58,360
right because of where we are and
who we are that we can demand

648
00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:00,300
whatever we think is, you know,
the right number.

649
00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:02,260
I don't know what that is.

650
00:29:02,380 --> 00:29:04,720
But at the end of the day, I think

651
00:29:04,860 --> 00:29:06,360
we need to be more cognizant of
what is actually affordable now,

652
00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:08,220
what is actually for the little
mum and pups.

653
00:29:08,220 --> 00:29:11,480
I mean, we have 90 % of our
businesses are mum and pops with

654
00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:12,520
three to seven employees.

655
00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:15,260
You know, we look at the big boys

656
00:29:15,260 --> 00:29:15,760
all the time.

657
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:17,520
We look at the big, you know,

658
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:17,740
numbers.

659
00:29:17,740 --> 00:29:19,620
But it's those little 90 % of

660
00:29:19,620 --> 00:29:21,680
businesses that are the ones that
are suffering.

661
00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:24,240
And they're the ones that need to
have the consideration and the

662
00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:27,500
help with the new bills that are
coming in for reform, etc. It only

663
00:29:27,500 --> 00:29:28,700
works with businesses with 10 more
employees.

664
00:29:28,700 --> 00:29:31,220
We have 90 % of our business, less
than that.

665
00:29:31,220 --> 00:29:33,720
So there's nothing directed at
that at this time.

666
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:35,400
And we need to do that.

667
00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,400
Where does that stat align

668
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,220
nationally or globally?
does that stat align nationally or

669
00:29:40,220 --> 00:29:41,640
globally?
Where do other cities of our

670
00:29:41,640 --> 00:29:44,280
population, where do we land in
comparison?

671
00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:49,210
I mean, I couldn't give you a
pecking order from 30 down.

672
00:29:49,210 --> 00:29:51,050
We're not unique.

673
00:29:51,050 --> 00:29:52,610
But we're also not the worst.

674
00:29:52,610 --> 00:29:55,770
And I think that's where we really
have to just remember where we are

675
00:29:55,770 --> 00:29:57,350
geographically as well, or
businesses.

676
00:29:57,350 --> 00:29:59,770
It's not the easiest place in the
world to get to.

677
00:29:59,770 --> 00:30:02,030
OK, it's a very difficult place to
get to.

678
00:30:02,030 --> 00:30:06,350
You've got to drive through a lot
of mountains or you've got to fly

679
00:30:06,350 --> 00:30:09,550
over a lot of mountains.

680
00:29:57,350 --> 00:29:59,310
So we are not totally unique, but

681
00:29:59,310 --> 00:30:02,030
we need to get deeper in our
thought process of appealing to

682
00:30:02,030 --> 00:30:02,770
more people.

683
00:30:02,770 --> 00:30:04,490
And not just because it's Kelowna.

684
00:30:04,490 --> 00:30:06,850
We have to go deeper than that.

685
00:30:07,390 --> 00:30:21,680
We've got to start digging in and

686
00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,560
really looking at what we are, who
we are, and what are our real

687
00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:28,040
values, and how do we foresee it
for our grandchildren and our own

688
00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,960
children?
And where do we want this place to

689
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:33,280
be?
We can't keep raping the

690
00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:34,860
mountainsides forever.

691
00:30:34,860 --> 00:30:36,420
We've got to look at making the

692
00:30:36,420 --> 00:30:39,960
most of what we have rather than
just keep building more.

693
00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:45,460
Yeah, I guess maybe a topic we can
kind of finish up on in the next

694
00:30:45,460 --> 00:30:48,400
few minutes here is what would you
change or what's a solution?

695
00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:53,190
Like what's one thing that we
could do now, like a tangible or

696
00:30:53,390 --> 00:30:55,690
maybe you guys already have some
plans in place to be the catalyst

697
00:30:55,690 --> 00:30:58,910
to get to Kelowna, like get
Kelowna where we want it to be,

698
00:30:58,910 --> 00:31:03,970
like to be able to hand it off to
our kids, grandkids, you know, in

699
00:31:04,190 --> 00:31:05,990
the next 20, 30 years.

700
00:31:05,990 --> 00:31:07,590
What are we doing now?

701
00:31:07,590 --> 00:31:10,210
Stop saying it's what we've always
done.

702
00:31:10,810 --> 00:31:12,450
We've got to start reinventing
what it is we do.

703
00:31:12,450 --> 00:31:15,070
When we bring in big events
downtown, we go to the businesses,

704
00:31:15,070 --> 00:31:19,190
we say to them, look, why don't
you open an hour later?

705
00:31:19,190 --> 00:31:20,190
Stay an hour later.

706
00:31:20,190 --> 00:31:21,390
You're going to capture much more

707
00:31:21,390 --> 00:31:22,430
of an audience.

708
00:31:22,430 --> 00:31:24,970
Well, this is what we've always

709
00:31:24,970 --> 00:31:25,790
done.

710
00:31:25,790 --> 00:31:27,170
And it's very much that mindset.

711
00:31:27,250 --> 00:31:29,830
You have to shift that mindset.

712
00:31:29,830 --> 00:31:34,190
So do you guys also help then with

713
00:31:34,190 --> 00:31:36,970
like coaching on some of that data
with traffic?

714
00:31:36,970 --> 00:31:37,890
OK, awesome.

715
00:31:37,890 --> 00:31:38,350
Yeah.

716
00:31:38,350 --> 00:31:39,910
No, we go to them.

717
00:31:39,910 --> 00:31:41,610
We give them ideas on how to do

718
00:31:41,610 --> 00:31:44,930
things, how to activate certain
things.

719
00:31:41,070 --> 00:31:44,930
We will even apply it outside
their building.

720
00:31:45,050 --> 00:31:48,330
No, we haven't got time for that.

721
00:31:48,350 --> 00:31:50,870
And again, it's you can lead the

722
00:31:50,870 --> 00:31:52,770
horse to water, but you can't make
them drink it.

723
00:31:52,770 --> 00:31:55,870
So it's changing that mindset for
the people.

724
00:31:55,870 --> 00:31:58,830
You're in retail or you're in the
service industry.

725
00:31:58,830 --> 00:31:59,570
This is what.

726
00:31:59,570 --> 00:32:00,430
the people want.

727
00:32:00,430 --> 00:32:07,210
They don't want to be here at nine
o 'clock because that's when you

728
00:32:07,210 --> 00:32:07,490
open.

729
00:32:07,490 --> 00:32:08,150
They want to have that

730
00:32:08,150 --> 00:32:08,330
convenience.

731
00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,640
And we, as a world, we give it to

732
00:32:11,740 --> 00:32:11,820
everybody.

733
00:32:11,820 --> 00:32:12,420
Everything is so convenient.

734
00:32:12,420 --> 00:32:14,380
You can buy anything from Amazon,
bingo, next three hours there is

735
00:32:14,380 --> 00:32:14,960
at your doorstep.

736
00:32:15,220 --> 00:32:17,300
And people then have that

737
00:32:17,300 --> 00:32:17,840
expectation.

738
00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:21,520
But it's looking at your business

739
00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:28,420
and say, where do I want to be?
I can sit here and I can just keep

740
00:32:28,420 --> 00:32:30,120
saying the same thing over and
over again.

741
00:32:30,120 --> 00:32:33,140
You know, it's because of the
unhoused or it's because my window

742
00:32:33,140 --> 00:32:34,760
got broken and I had to buy more
camera.

743
00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,280
I can't afford this you've got to
really start thinking about the

744
00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,120
differences that you can make
within your own self and your

745
00:32:41,120 --> 00:32:43,680
businesses to accommodate the
actual realistic happenings and

746
00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:48,280
goings -ons of people's days their
own cultures and their own you

747
00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:52,500
know habits of how they spend and
when they spend yeah my brokerage

748
00:32:52,500 --> 00:32:54,560
we call it like collaboration over
competition it's like our lead

749
00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:57,160
brokerage talking about it and it
kind of sounds like what you guys

750
00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,420
are doing you know you take my
brokerage we call it like

751
00:32:59,420 --> 00:33:01,940
collaboration over competition
it's like our lead brokerage

752
00:33:01,940 --> 00:33:04,820
talking about it and it kind of
sounds like what you guys are

753
00:33:04,820 --> 00:33:07,500
doing you know you take the wins
out of other small businesses and

754
00:33:07,500 --> 00:33:10,040
kind of pass them on and say, Hey,
this is what is successful down

755
00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:10,680
the street.

756
00:33:10,760 --> 00:33:12,100
Like, why don't you guys try this?

757
00:33:12,100 --> 00:33:12,180
Yes.

758
00:33:12,180 --> 00:33:14,990
If local businesses want to reach

759
00:33:14,990 --> 00:33:16,990
out to you for help.

760
00:33:16,990 --> 00:33:18,610
We're right on Bernard here, right

761
00:33:18,610 --> 00:33:19,850
in the 200th lot.

762
00:33:19,850 --> 00:33:22,370
Our webpage as well has a lot of

763
00:33:22,370 --> 00:33:22,530
information.

764
00:33:22,530 --> 00:33:23,930
You can also sign up for our

765
00:33:24,230 --> 00:33:27,290
newsletter, which then gives you,
even if you're not in the downtown

766
00:33:27,470 --> 00:33:30,110
core into our membership, you are
able to get all the information

767
00:33:30,110 --> 00:33:33,990
that we share about road closures,
about events that are happening,

768
00:33:33,990 --> 00:33:38,930
you know, Parade with a Purpose is
coming up, which is a big, you

769
00:33:38,930 --> 00:33:42,770
know, family event, which is going
to be huge, which is coming on

770
00:33:42,990 --> 00:33:44,270
December the 6th.

771
00:33:44,370 --> 00:33:45,690
We have our own winter market

772
00:33:45,690 --> 00:33:48,750
coming up on the 29th with the
light up of the lights.

773
00:33:48,750 --> 00:33:52,770
So all of that information is
available on our website and we

774
00:33:52,770 --> 00:33:55,490
can send you our newsletter if you
sign up online as well.

775
00:33:55,490 --> 00:33:57,410
Obviously as well, telephone, I
never remember the number, 250

776
00:33:57,410 --> 00:33:59,550
-862 -3515, on call team.

777
00:33:59,550 --> 00:34:02,890
is 250 -470 -9058 for a direct

778
00:34:02,890 --> 00:34:06,640
line to them should you need
somebody to come to you quickly of

779
00:34:06,640 --> 00:34:08,639
course email me executive it's
very long executive director at

780
00:34:08,639 --> 00:34:10,400
downtown Kelowna
com um but uh yeah so there's

781
00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:15,260
plenty of ways to reach out to us
or talk to a red coat or a blue

782
00:34:15,260 --> 00:34:19,040
coat out on the streets we'll put
all this information in our show

783
00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:22,739
notes yeah please yeah all this
information in our show notes yeah

784
00:34:22,739 --> 00:34:24,440
please That's been all organized
by us.

785
00:34:24,440 --> 00:34:24,659
Yep.

786
00:34:24,659 --> 00:34:25,719
And we have the whole Winter

787
00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:26,560
Street Market.

788
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:27,960
We're up to 50 vendors at this

789
00:34:27,960 --> 00:34:28,179
time.

790
00:34:28,179 --> 00:34:29,739
We're working very closely with

791
00:34:29,739 --> 00:34:32,960
PAM and the Parade with a Purpose
to ensure the road shutdown is as

792
00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:35,020
minimal as possible for all the
businesses, again, because we want

793
00:34:35,020 --> 00:34:37,120
to be cognizant of their needs as
well.

794
00:34:37,120 --> 00:34:40,340
But to make sure of safety,
obviously, is paramount and work

795
00:34:40,340 --> 00:34:46,300
very closely with the city and be
that conduit to make sure that all

796
00:34:46,300 --> 00:34:49,560
of these things come together and
everybody stays informed.

797
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,120
I love it.

798
00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:51,679
love it.

799
00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:51,920
Awesome.

800
00:34:51,920 --> 00:34:54,120
Well, thank you so much for your

801
00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:54,280
time.

802
00:34:54,280 --> 00:34:54,840
So quickly.

803
00:34:54,840 --> 00:34:55,440
I know.

804
00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:55,920
Yeah.

805
00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:57,460
Well, we packed a lot in.

806
00:34:57,460 --> 00:34:58,000
Yeah.

807
00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,080
We'll love to have you on in the
future again and talk about, you

808
00:35:01,080 --> 00:35:01,520
know, some more.

809
00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:01,820
Keep talking.

810
00:35:01,820 --> 00:35:02,600
We love that.

811
00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:03,180
Yeah, absolutely.

812
00:34:55,219 --> 00:34:56,380
It's been a pleasure.

813
00:34:56,380 --> 00:34:58,840
Thank you so much for helping me.

814
00:34:58,840 --> 00:34:58,980
Okay.

815
00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:00,100
Thank you so much.

816
00:35:00,100 --> 00:35:00,780
Thank you so much.