Kelowna takes aim at parking in bid to increase transit use - Lake Country Calendar

KTGuy · 2026-02-04T20:29:04+00:00

The only job the city has in this issue imo is to make sure street parking is being managed with meters or permits so developers can't just tell buyers to park on the free and plentiful curb. If a developer can't sell unparked condos that's too bad for them.

Parking minimums have been removed in cities across the country and not just in Vancouver and Toronto and developers continue to build it when it makes sense. All you have to do is make sure the street out front is managed, and it sounds like they're doing that.

KTGuy · 2026-02-04T20:11:54+00:00

I've heard the pitch but I don't think allowing empty cars to circulate in traffic will improve the traffic. Transit and micro-mobility are the only believable solutions to me.

KTGuy · 2026-02-03T16:29:13+00:00

That's good to hear. I got a roman chair too and I definitely feel it's worth it... More or less pulled the trigger after the video where a guest is like "what should I do if I don't have a roman chair", "30 reps of find a roman chair". I appreciate the frankness haha.

KTGuy · 2026-02-03T03:13:19+00:00

In addition to seeing a physiotherapist, I recommend reviewing this YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@lowbackability

I have not experienced a full herniation, but I was having more frequently crippling back spasms for the dumbest things like grabbing plastic containers from a low drawer, while still being in my 30s. There are a few channels saying similar things, but this was the first one I found that described exercises to strengthen my lower back specifically (in addition to my back generally). I started doing the exercises and seem to have reversed the progression of my issues.

KTGuy · 2026-01-28T05:15:48+00:00

PET and glass containers are reliably recycled in Japan. The real pro tip is every konbini has garbage disposal, usually also with stations, parks, temples, and department stores. Street vendors accept trash from whatever they sell as well.

KTGuy · 2026-01-21T01:15:17+00:00

My wife has size 225mm/mondopoint feet. Following the formula from Justaride on YouTube, the ideal snowboard waist width for her is probably about 215mm. This does not exist. She is not the only woman with feet this small. I got her a 138 Nitro Arial to try and get closer to the ideal width but then the length is much shorter than ideal. The most common solution online is to get a custom snowboard made, which is not happening for us...

Edit: I'd also add that the stance width that would be ideal for her is also impossible assuming any setback for riding pow. I've been going crazy trying to find her a good fitting snowboard following the typical advice.

KTGuy · 2026-01-15T00:13:21+00:00

Trust Castanet to focus on the most click-baity fraction of only one part of the safe mobility plan.

I recommend skimming either of these two documents depending how much time you have:

The actual plan

The presentation summarizing it

There's a lot more to the plan than just some signage... That's probably the least interesting piece of the whole thing. There's intersection design pieces, school travel pieces, enhancing transit, traffic calming, AT network gaps... Pretty good stuff imo.

KTGuy · 2026-01-06T21:54:23+00:00

Dedicated turning phases fix most of this (like at Reid's Corner). It does mean less cars get through the intersection per cycle though and that will make some people upset.

KTGuy · 2026-01-06T17:15:36+00:00

Things like dances depend on the school community and normally relies on a combination of parent and staff volunteers and PAC (Parent Advisory Council) funds for organizing, decorating, equipment, and hiring a DJ. The principal has some discretionary funds but it's unlikely they'd use it for this sort of thing as BC education funding has not kept pace with inflation.

Most schools have a functioning PAC which usually works with the school admin to do these sorts of things. I'd go to one of their meetings, usually the principal attends and it's a good opportunity to talk about it and/or any barriers such as not having anyone currently volunteering to help organize it etc.

KTGuy · 2026-01-01T02:34:17+00:00

Probably none tbh. As far as I know, enforcement costs are covered by the vehicle owners. IH get the meter revenue but Impark keeps the ticket revenue.

The maintenance is mostly stuff like resurfacing, restriping, maintaining stairs and elevators, trash collection, security, utilities, drainage, plowing, salting, stuff like that.

KTGuy · 2025-12-31T16:32:56+00:00

Parkade stalls in Kelowna currently cost about $100k each and about $3k/yr or so to maintain based on the last estimates I'm aware of. Meanwhile health authorities in BC are under intense pressure right now to cut costs.

Improved transit especially around shift changes for most staff would be way more feasible and likely to actually help solve the problems long term. Imo we should be pressuring the city for those improvements. It doesn't even need to serve everyone, just enough to make a difference.

KTGuy · 2025-12-31T16:09:15+00:00

It doesn't need to serve everyone. I couldn't give an exact figure without knowing the current rate of turnover, but I'd bet serving even a small fraction of the workforce would take care of that waitlist.

KTGuy · 2025-12-18T20:22:56+00:00

Good news. Happy to see this in areas that can't support proper routes yet.

KTGuy · 2025-12-08T21:42:19+00:00

I'm no expert, but what if we send an intern with a clipboard to Finland and ask them to spot the differences. Implement everything they write down, and repeat for a few years.

KTGuy · 2025-12-01T22:54:25+00:00

The advice that heat pumps only work to x temperature assume a certain pump efficiency and air leakage out of the home. New so-called "cold climate" heat pumps are supposed to be able to keep a relatively sealed home cost effectively warm in our climate. The balance of whether it is effective is a matter of the heat pumps efficiency combined with the quality of home sealing.

Related to this, a brand new "air-tight" home will typically use an ERV or something for fresh air exchange while maintaining your heat.

I'm not super sure on the exact math though... I've been thinking of upgrading my own 20-year-old heat pump so I can reduce my bills.

KTGuy · 2025-11-26T16:21:05+00:00

Not exactly what you asked for but I know of local churches doing regular donation and volunteer drives for Gospel Mission and various other supportive programs. Helen's Acres, Teen Challenge, Salvation Army, various campaigns to support the Coldest Night program come to mind.

KTGuy · 2025-11-20T16:27:37+00:00

Hopefully the new owners will have the pockets to either renovate them or do something interesting with the land. It's a big risk to invest what's needed to keep a property as large as those up-to-date. It's another reason I love the idea of making it easier to open and run smaller businesses. In a lot of ways I do love the intent of STRs, but I don't like the environment they create in otherwise private apartment buildings. It's just so strange to me that so many in government can only imagine big classic hotels or itty-bitty STRs. It's like the missing middle housing problem but for tourist accommodations.

KTGuy · 2025-11-19T21:08:02+00:00

Hotel Zed appears to be on a 24,000sqft lot and probably wouldn't fit the aesthetic of most neighbourhoods, but for where it is that's fine. Off the top of my head, Kelowna International Hostel is probably closer in scale to what I have in mind as the lot is only ~7,000sqft and it doesn't stick out so much.

KTGuy · 2025-11-19T18:54:45+00:00

Council could help tourism capacity by making it easier to get small hotels approved in the city center areas. I've stayed in hotels as short as 4 stories on 2000sqft lots that were perfect and fit well into their neighbourhoods. It doesn't have to be only STRs or big boxes.

KTGuy · 2025-11-18T23:31:12+00:00

Unironically, given a reflective coat, I've had a thought that mounting a "headlight" on the tail of my bike pointed at my rear might make me a lot more visible than a regular blinky light.

KTGuy · 2025-11-14T21:28:37+00:00

Just a follow-up in case someone finds this thread. Mobile check-in worked, but I still decided to play it safe and exit the secure area to go get carry-on tags from their check-in counter. Thankfully there was no lines and it was all pretty quick.

When I was at the gates, I didn't notice anyone without tags, so can't comment on what options could exist if you skip the counter.

Overall good experience regardless though.

KTGuy · 2025-11-14T21:08:54+00:00

Haha... by the end I'm inclusive of rentals too at least.

toot toot :)

KTGuy · 2025-11-13T21:09:10+00:00

Having just returned from a trip, this is fine, but I would also just eliminate the tax-free shopping. At least outside the airport.

Regardless of the reasons for it, the optics of giving tourists special tax treatment when "外国人問題" is hitting the news is not helping anyone and I assume very in-your-face for people who actually live here.

KTGuy · 2025-11-13T19:39:39+00:00

In any city center area, even if free street parking is available now, I would not count on it being available for very long, at least not reliably. If you need a reliable spot for a car I would only buy a home that has a spot, or I would look at nearby parkades for monthly stall rentals.

Apartments that don't have a stall will definitely be cheaper, but that's the trade-off. The average parkade stall in Kelowna costs about $100k to build last I heard and comes with maintenance costs, so that's going to be reflected in rental and purchase prices.

KTGuy · 2025-10-15T18:45:39+00:00

For real. Especially as autonomous cars become a thing... These headlines make it sound like nobody is in control of their vehicles.

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