File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Doug Collins

ONE MAN'S OPINION

COLLINS: Airport changes done the right way

Aug 4, 2024 | 6:00 AM

WITH ALL THE DEMANDS for supportive and low-income housing, and mandates from the province to reach housing goals, it’s nice for City Council to have an easy decision to make once in a while.

Fears of increased crime and increased loitering in public areas have grown, blamed in part on increased homelessness. These projects often become tough for Council to decide which route to take. But approving things early in the process and clearing out opposition with good community planning and discussion among stakeholders can overcome a lot of objections.

And that’s what’s happening with the development of a large hunk of land near the airport. The City has basically greenlighted this property for a number of potential uses. Those uses include potential hangers, proper emergency services, office space, maybe a fast-food restaurant and a lot of room for light industrial use.

Light industrial land is in short supply in the Kamloops area. Some new areas are coming on stream in various locations, including Valleyview, Iron Mask, and potentially in Westsyde or Aberdeen. Aside from initial thoughts about what exactly will be built, this is an opportunity to invest some serious dollars into developing land for its best use. It’s not suitable for housing because it’s too close to the airport. So light industrial or commercial development of some sort seems to be the next best option.

So far, almost all of our projects have involved buying a piece of land and putting a lot of low-income houses on it. It’s convenient, but sometimes the homes aren’t built in the right location. So they aren’t really functional and often don’t have support services nearby.

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A good example was the idea of using the old Greyhound Depot in Southgate. Not the best idea. But the airport land is ideal for its intended use. The City has put a lot of money into expanding the infrastructure and local stakeholders have looked over the plans for a couple of years now.

It’s nice that something is apparently going forward without some controversy. As Hannibal Smith used to say, “I love it when a plan comes together.”

I’m Doug Collins and that’s One Man’s Opinion.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.