Kelowna Talks artwork

Kelowna Talks

26 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago -

Welcome to Kelowna Talks, a podcast presented by the City of Kelowna that explores the "why" behind the decisions that shape your city. Tune in for weekly episodes with host, Bob Evans, Partnerships Office Director with the City of Kelowna, as he welcomes guest subject matter experts to explain the processes and decisions that influence the lives of the citizens.

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Episodes

Episode 20: Strategic planning with Mike McGreer

December 13, 2022 13:00 - 19 minutes - 27.1 MB

If your New Year’s resolution is to get healthy, how will you get there? Will you stop smoking, or lose weight? From a strategy and performance perspective, if getting healthy is the goal and losing weight is the objective, strategies are needed to get there. How do you measure your success? Strategic planning for a City is not as quite as straightforward but the concept is the same. How do we know progress is being made on priorities and how are they measured? How do we share the r...

Episode 19: Budget 101 with City Manager Doug Gilchrist

November 29, 2022 13:00 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MB

With municipal elections now behind us, there are several new faces around the Council table. Three new Councillors and a new Mayor. The weeks following an election can be a steep learning curve for new folks, there’s a lot of information to understand. One of the biggest items is the annual budget, which Council gets its first look at on December 1, ahead of deliberations on December 8. But the budget process starts long before that—much work goes on behind the scenes into this doc...

Episode 18: Making sense of the new Zoning bylaw

October 18, 2022 12:00 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MB

Neighbourhoods don’t happen by chance. How private and public land is used within a city is determined by a Zoning Bylaw, dividing the city into distinct areas and with permitted uses. Compare the layout of a city to that of a home — a toilet in the middle of a living room is the wrong fit.  Zoning ensures an industrial park is not built on farmland and that amenities like schools and grocery stores are built close to residential neighbourhoods.  The City recently updated its Zonin...

Episode 17: Civics 101 with Stephen Fleming

August 23, 2022 12:00 - 25 minutes - 20.4 MB

Voting day for municipal elections across BC is October 15. What attracts someone to put their name forward for local government and what should they expect? What is it that Council can and cannot do? Today we are chatting with Stephen Fleming, our City Clerk, to talk about everything that is Election 2022. 

Episode 16: The Okanagan Lake Mirage

July 26, 2022 12:00 - 24 minutes - 20 MB

Water is a slippery subject in the Okanagan—we are blessed with this large, beautiful lake and yet in the summer, we often have drought conditions. Water is something that most of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives…we open a tap, and it’s available, clean and safe. But for many cities, water is fast becoming a precious and dwindling resource, and Okanagan residents typically use more than twice the Canadian average. In this week's episode, host Bob Evans talks to Kevin Van ...

Episode 16: The Okanagan Lake mirage

July 26, 2022 12:00 - 24 minutes - 20 MB

Water is a slippery subject in the Okanagan—we are blessed with this large, beautiful lake and yet in the summer, we often have drought conditions. Water is something that most of us take for granted in our day-to-day lives…we open a tap, and it’s available, clean and safe. But for many cities, water is fast becoming a precious and dwindling resource, and Okanagan residents typically use more than twice the Canadian average. In this week's episode, host Bob Evans talks to Kevin Van ...

What makes Kelowna an eventful city?

July 05, 2022 13:00 - 27 minutes - 21.8 MB

Events like festivals, sports, and concerts bring culture and entertainment to a city. They attract tourism and can be an economic driver. So what does being an ‘eventful’ city look like?  Kelowna’s new event strategy aims to bring about a philosophical shift in how the City hosts events. In this week's episode, host Bob Evans talks to Chris Babcock, our Event Development Supervisor, about what the new strategy means for Kelowna, our new signature event, and whether the popular Cent...

Episode 15 - What makes Kelowna an eventful city?

July 05, 2022 13:00 - 27 minutes - 21.8 MB

Events like festivals, sports, and concerts bring culture and entertainment to a city. They attract tourism and can be an economic driver. So what does being an ‘eventful’ city look like?  Kelowna’s new event strategy aims to bring about a philosophical shift in how the City hosts events. In this week's episode, host Bob Evans talks to Chris Babcock, our Event Development Supervisor, about what the new strategy means for Kelowna, our new signature event, and whether the popular Cent...

Episode 15: What makes Kelowna an eventful city?

July 05, 2022 13:00 - 27 minutes - 21.8 MB

Events like festivals, sports, and concerts bring culture and entertainment to a city. They attract tourism and can be an economic driver. So what does being an ‘eventful’ city look like?  Kelowna’s new event strategy aims to bring about a philosophical shift in how the City hosts events. In this week's episode, host Bob Evans talks to Chris Babcock, our Event Development Supervisor, about what the new strategy means for Kelowna, our new signature event, and whether the popular Cent...

Episode 14: A conversation with Mayor Colin Basran - Part 2

June 21, 2022 13:00 - 31 minutes - 25.1 MB

As Mayor Basran oversees one of the fastest growing cities in the country, we wanted to hear from you: If you could ask Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran anything you've ever wanted to know, what would you ask?  The response was remarkable, with nearly 150 questions posed to the Mayor. So, you asked and he answered your questions around some of the bigger issues that our city faces. In this week's episode, Mayor Basran talks to host Bob Evans about housing, housing affordability, public sa...

Episode 13: A conversation with Mayor Colin Basran – Part 1

June 14, 2022 17:28 - 38 minutes - 31.1 MB

We asked you “If you could ask Mayor Basran anything you've ever wanted to know, what would you ask?” The response was incredible, with more than 140 people querying the Mayor on multiple issues...from housing affordability and homelessness to public safety and highrises. Join Mayor Basran as he talks to host Bob Evans about everything that is Kelowna and his hopes for the city, as well as his thoughts on golf courses, traffic, Uber, and even the Mayor of Kamloops. 

Episode 13: A candid conversation with Mayor Colin Basran – Part 1

June 14, 2022 17:28 - 38 minutes - 31.1 MB

We asked you “If you could ask Mayor Basran anything you've ever wanted to know, what would you ask?” The response was incredible, with more than 140 people querying the Mayor on multiple issues...from housing affordability and homelessness to public safety and highrises. Join Mayor Basran as he talks to host Bob Evans about everything that is Kelowna and his hopes for the city, as well as his thoughts on golf courses, traffic, Uber, and even the Mayor of Kamloops. 

Episode 12: What’s up, Knox?

May 17, 2022 13:00 - 21 minutes - 29.4 MB

Knox Mountain Park is our largest park at nearly 370 hectares, and it’s popular, with an average 1,300 people enjoying the park every day. But it’s also a fragile ecosystem that needs protecting for future generations, as challenges such as rogue trails and unleashed dogs are a challenge. The City is embarking on a long-term plan for the park and it’s not without controversy — a survey the City did in the spring asking the public’s thoughts on road access in the park came back with ...

Episode 11: Let the music play

May 03, 2022 08:00 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MB

Live music, concerts and festivals were among the events put on hold for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. With pandemic restrictions easing, what does the future of live music 'sound' like in the Okanagan? Where does live music live in Kelowna? A new community-driven strategy sets out to advance the sustainability of the music industry in the Central Okanagan, and looks at how to support venues, audiences, artists and partnerships. In this episode of Kelowna Talks, Bob is join...

Episode 10: The flood factor

March 29, 2022 13:00 - 25 minutes - 34.4 MB

In the spring of 2017, creeks and rivers and Okanagan Lake all spilled their banks during the worst flooding to hit the region in decades. The City has done a lot to manage spring freshet since then but as temperatures climb and snow melts, it’s a good time to think about flood preparedness. In this episode of Kelowna Talks, Bob is joined by Rod MacLean, our utility planning manager, to talk about freshet, floods and what we learned from 2017.

Episode 9: Strolling among the 'stones

March 09, 2022 14:00 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MB

Kelowna has many beautiful public spaces but did you know there’s a 50-acre park in the middle of the city? Amazing things are happening at Kelowna’s Memorial Park Cemetery. Above ground. And six-feet under. In this episode of Kelowna Talks, Bob is joined by Cemetery Manager, Tracey Hillis, to talk about movie nights, the bird watching, hiking and cycling opportunities, and 22,000+ interments.

Episode 8: Protecting citizen's data

February 15, 2022 22:00 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MB

HACKED! Join Bob this week alongside Jazz Pabla, our Information Services Director, to discuss cyber security and how we are protecting citizens’ data. The City of Kelowna is one of the leading municipalities in Canada when it comes to technology . From cyber security to website chatbots to lessening in-person visits to City Hall, Kelowna is on track to become a ‘City of the future’.  How does the City protect my information? How is it adapting to enhance the online experience for ...

Episode 7: Kelowna neighbourhoods are changing

February 02, 2022 19:00 - 34 minutes - 31.4 MB

This week Bob is joined by James Moore, our Long Range Policy Planning Manager, to talk housing, and more specifically, infill housing. With the benchmark price of a detached home at $1 million, the affordability of housing is a hot topic in the city right now. The most recent BC Assessment notices show that home prices increased by 30 per cent last year. Not to mention, Kelowna is expecting to see 40,000 people move here over the next 20 years. Are we at a housing crisis or crossro...

Episode 6: The Dance of Snow Removal

January 19, 2022 19:57 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MB

If you live in Kelowna, chances are you noticed that we’ve had an extraordinary snowfall this winter. In this episode of Kelowna Talks, Bob is joined by Public Works Manager, Geert Bos, to talk about “all that snow,” how the City managed it and why a winter cycling strategy is being considered. 

Episode 6: The dance of snow removal

January 19, 2022 19:57 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MB

If you live in Kelowna, chances are you noticed that we’ve had an extraordinary snowfall this winter. In this episode of Kelowna Talks, Bob is joined by Public Works Manager, Geert Bos, to talk about “all that snow,” how the City managed it and why a winter cycling strategy is being considered. 

Episode 5: What's Soaring at YLW

January 05, 2022 16:21 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MB

This week, Bob is joined by Airport Director Sam Samaddar to discuss the past, present and future happenings at Kelowna International Airport. Sam is passionate about aviation in all aspects of his life—from becoming an air cadet as a child to obtaining a private pilot license by the time he was 18 and now as Kelowna’s Airport Director. Operating an airport during a pandemic hasn’t been easy but Sam is keen on the future of Kelowna International Airport.  Listen to the full episode...

Episode 4: Community Safety

December 14, 2021 22:00 - 31 minutes - 29 MB

This week, Bob is joined by Kelowna RCMP superintendent Kara Triance to discuss community safety. Originally from Kelowna, Supt. Triance has more than 20 years of policing experience under her belt. From covert operations to big city policing, Supt. Triance brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our city.  How is the city adjusting policing to meet the growth of Kelowna? How does healthcare impact crime in our city? Why does policing cost so much? Efforts are on to bridge t...

Episode 3: Getting out of our cars

November 30, 2021 17:00 - 32 minutes - 29.5 MB

In this episode, Bob is joined by Matt Worona to talk about the actions that the City is taking to encourage people to use other modes of transportation than just their cars. How will we get around in the future? The City of Kelowna has big plans to introduce more transportation options throughout the city. Matt Worona is Kelowna’s New Mobility Specialist and he walks listeners through what that might look like. In this episode, learn more about scooters, e-bikes, public transit, b...

Episode 2: Adapting to climate change

November 18, 2021 00:19 - 31 minutes - 58.2 MB

This week, Bob is joined by champion of the environment, Chris Ray, to discuss the City of Kelowna’s climate initiatives. His role is centred around the recognition and importance of climate action and environmental protection as a council priority. Annually, Chris reviews the city’s climate initiatives and reports to council on additional actions that should be taken to minimize the city’s impact on the environment. 

Episode 2: Climate

November 18, 2021 00:19 - 31 minutes - 58.2 MB

This week, Bob is joined by champion of the environment, Chris Ray, to discuss the City of Kelowna’s climate initiatives. His role is centred around the recognition and importance of climate action and environmental protection as a council priority. Annually, Chris reviews the city’s climate initiatives and reports to council on additional actions that should be taken to minimize the city’s impact on the environment. 

Episode 1: The Official Community Plan

November 02, 2021 16:44 - 44 minutes - 41 MB

This week, Bob is joined by Ryan Smith to discuss the Official Community Plan for the City of Kelowna. As the divisional director of planning and development services for the city, Ryan knows the plan for Kelowna’s future better than anyone. In this episode, Bob and Ryan discuss everything from housing and skyscrapers to traffic and road development.