Plans for the future of the North End of downtown Kelowna go to city council next week without details about the redevelopment of the former Tolko site (on the right side of this photo).

(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)

It's been four years since Kelowna’s Tolko Industries mill was shuttered for good.

And it's been two years since the City of Kelowna and Tolko started drafting plans, not only to redevelop that site, but to look at the entire North End of downtown Kelowna.

Details of the plans were expected to be released this past spring. Instead, three ideas for the North End will be presented to Kelowna city council on Monday, July 24, with no specifics about the Tolko site.

“The concept plans do not include detailed site plans for the Mill Site — nor do they provide specifics on community amenities to be introduced there,” the report going to council says. “Site plans for the Mill Site are to be addressed through the Mill Site Area Redevelopment Plan application and guided by the direction of the North End Plan. A Report to Council outlining these site plans will be provided when the Mill Site team is prepared to bring them forward to Council.”

There’s no indication in the report about when that might be.

The city will, first of all, have to decide on what the North End plan will be before the Tolko plan is adopted.

But, the two process will, sort of, run in tandem.

In an email to iNFONews.ca, the team working on the Tolko plan said it hopes to put some concepts for the future of the mill site out for public review this fall.

What is going to council, and later to the public, are three options for the area.

Concept Plan #1 focuses on the future development of the Tolko site with only a bit of infill in the surrounding neighbourhood and some small parks in Manhattan Point.

What it says about the Tolko site is that a “substantial waterfront park with a continuous waterfront pathway” is expected.

Additional public spaces on the site may include a “hardscaped plaza” and public gathering, performance, cultural and recreation spaces.

READ MORE: Kelowna might find inspiration for Tolko site from this Victoria project

Several buildings with heritage value would be preserved and there would be a mix of sizes and tenures in the housing, including some below market housing.

It does not talk about highrise vs. lowrise housing other than to say building heights generally taper down further north from downtown and towards the water and from the middle of the site to the east and west.

READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Heritage, housing and waterfront fun in future for Kelowna’s Tolko lands

Concept Plan #2 would incorporate the Tolko site as referenced in Plan #1 but also talks about a new school site next to the expanded and improved Walrod Park, which is a former school site where the Justice Institute of BC operates.

It also envisions more housing in the Manhattan Point area as the waterfront park extends there from the Tolko site.

There would also be a commercial/office hub and “a westward expansion of the craft industrial district. “

READ MORE: Planners for Kelowna’s Tolko site could look to this massive Burnaby project for ideas

Concept Plan #3 includes the other concepts but downtown would expand more into the North End along Ellis Street to the Tolko site and around Recreation Avenue.

It would increase parks and development on Manhattan Point and expand the craft industrial district towards the Rail Trail and Gordon Drive.

This version would have an elementary school on the Tolko site.

Improvements to Sutherland Park may include playgrounds, sports fields, multi-use courts, a dog park, open grassy area, public art and pathways.

The idea is to have public workshops, a survey and consultation with various groups this fall with a final plan selected before the end of the year.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Rob Munro or call 250-808-0143 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

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