Photo: Instagram

Those looking for a FreshSlice in Oliver won’t have to search much longer, as the Canadian-owned pizza company is moving into the small town in mid-January.

With an estimated opening date of Jan. 15, the South Okanagan franchise will be setting up shop at 6422 Main St. in the Dairy Queen plaza.

“The space is approximately 650 square feet and will have a few booths inside, making it perfect for both grab-and-go, and a cozy hangout spot,” FreshSlice national director of franchise sales Sarah Jameson said in an email.

“Together with our franchise partners, our whole team is very much excited for the opportunity to share our healthy, guilt-free pizza with the local community and are looking forward to building lasting relationships with the residents of beautiful Oliver, B.C.”

FreshSlice has a location in Penticton, but this is its first storefront in the South Okanagan closer to the U.S. border.

In October, FreshSlice announced on Instagram that it is “climbing toward new heights every day,” expanding in various locations across the country. Franchises recently opened up in Halifax and Sault St. Marie.

The Oliver pizza store will also be located near a new coffee shop that is coming soon.

Photo: Contributed

The City of Kelowna is reminding all business owners that their licences need to be renewed for 2025.

While the sending of renewal notices has been delayed by the Canada Post strike, the city reminds businesses they still must renew their licences by Jan. 15.

Those renewed after that date will be assessed a $25 late fee.

Business licences are required to own or operate any business within the city including retail and commercial establishments, management and professional firms, and all types of home-based businesses from bookkeeping to legal services.

“Businesses, big and small, are essential to our city, economy and quality of life,” business licence supervisor Graham March said.

“Business licences help identify your business to the community and protect the safety and well-being of residents by ensuring compliance with building codes and bylaws.”

In 2023, the City of Kelowna issued 12,235 licences. This included 2,040 new licences and 2,598 inter-community mobile business licences.

Photo: Contributed

Owners of Kelowna Springs Golf Course plan to come forward early next year with their vision for the property.

In an email to Castanet late Wednesday afternoon, Denciti Development Corp. CEO Garry Fawley said conversations with people in the community over the past 18 months have helped guide a “thoughtful, comprehensive plan for the property designed to benefit the entire community.”

Fawley said those discussions helped the company learn the needs of the community now and into the future.

He said the development application coming forward in 2025 will bring together a mix of employment and recreation spaces, “offering much-needed jobs while significantly enhancing year-round recreational use of the property.”

Fawley said the plans will include a business park that supports local economic growth but won’t be a “typical” industrial park.

“Recreation and open space will play a central role in the design, including a nine-hole golf course, a 12-court pickleball facility and publicly accessible green space with a trail network that follows existing golf features,” Fawley wrote.

“Kelowna Springs Golf Course will be open as a nine-hole course in 2025, with plans to extend a long-term lease that would go hand in hand with development approval.

“This vision reflects a genuine effort to create a balanced, win-win situation that addresses the diverse needs of current and future Kelowna residents. We remain committed to fostering open dialogue with city council and staff, and ensuring transparent community engagement every step of the way.”

The statement comes on the heels of a statement from Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas that said, among other things, the city had tried unsuccessfully to purchase the property from Denciti.

Photo: The Canadian Press

November real estate sales across the Interior were up compared to the same time last year, creating a market that was busier than it was expected to be.

Prices remained relatively stable across all Interior regions, but there were 20% more sales last month than there were in November 2023, according to data Association of Interior Realtors released Wednesday.

“While real estate market activity typically slows as temperatures drop, the market seems to have held on to some of the recovery seen in the fall with a healthy degree of sales above that of last November,” AIR president Kaytee Sharun said in a press release.

“The welcomed interest rate cuts of recent months may have helped spur a more optimistic outlook throughout the region, which may have contributed to busier than usual activity for this time of year.”

Benchmark prices in the Central Okanagan were up from October in the single-family ($1.013 million) and townhouse ($726,400) categories but down in the condo-apartment division ($476,500). It was the same story in the North Okanagan, with single-family ($761,800) and townhouse ($621,900) figures up and condo-apartment ($309,300) down.

Benchmarks in the South Okanagan were down in all three housing categories, and in two of three in the Kamloops, with the townhouse price the only one to increase from October.

“As consumer confidence appears to be gradually rebounding, pricing properties according to current market conditions will be crucial for real estate activity to maintain its current momentum as we head into the new year,” Sharun said.

AIR covers the including the Okanagan, Kamloops and Kootenay regions, as well as the South Peace River area.

Photo: Contributed
The Gill family

Kelowna’s Binny Boparai-Gill has been honoured by BC Food & Beverage.

The organization held its annual awards show over the weekend, and Boparai-Gill captured the Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Boparai-Gill and her husband, Avi, operate Farming Karma, an award-winning beverage company that has grown substantially over the last few years.

“This award isn’t just about me—it’s a reflection of the incredible team at Farming Karma and the support of our community,” Binny Boparai-Gill said in a press release. “I’m truly humbled and grateful for this recognition, and I share it with everyone who has been part of our journey.”

BC Food & Beverage said Boparai-Gill has steered Farming Karma “to success through innovation, sustainability and a strong connection to the community.”

Farming Karma won BC Food & Beverage’s Circularity Award last year and was the silver medal winner of the Product of the Year Award in 2022.

Farming Karma is a family-owned, farm-to-table business founded by Karma and Kuku Gill, whose passion for farming and vision for creating fruit beverages laid the foundation for the company. The company produces real fruit beverages that are grown, juiced and canned on site in Kelowna.

Photo: Govisible.ca
Gerry Turchak accepts his award during the gala.

The South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation raised a whopping $300,000 at its recent Winter Wonderland Gala, all of which will support its ongoing campaign to upgrade the Penticton Regional Hospital oncology department.

“Our hearts are full of gratitude for everyone who made this event a success,” South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation CEO Ian Lindsay said.

“From the attendees and sponsors to those who couldn’t attend but still donated, each contribution brings us closer to our goal of providing critical cancer care right here at home. This gala was a shining example of what we can accomplish when we come together as a community.”

The goal overall is $10 million. Charitable donations can be made anytime, whether it is a one-time donation or ongoing giving.

“We’ve witnessed incredible kindness and generosity, but there’s more to do,” Lindsay said. “This holiday season, as you reflect on what matters most, consider making a gift that brings hope and healing to families in our region.”

To make a donation or learn more about the oncology campaign, visit the SOSMF website here. https://sosmedicalfoundation.com/gala/

Gerry Turchak was awarded the inaugural Healthcare Champion Award during the gala. It recognizes an individual who “embodies unwavering dedication, advocacy and support for the region.”

Turchak, founder of Nor-Mar Truck and Equipment, and Brutus Truck Bodies, has raised nearly $1.5 million over three years. He was inspired to help by his own family’s personal experience with cancer.

“Gerry exemplifies everything this award represents—integrity, compassion, and leadership,” Lindsay said. “His unwavering dedication ensures that our community has access to the best possible care. It is an honour to recognize Gerry as our first health-care champion.”

Canadian postal workers from around the North and Central Okanagan gathered in Vernon on Tuesday as the strike entered its third week.

“Canada Post apparently put forward what they call a framework for negotiations. It doesn’t sound like they’ve moved on a whole lot,” said Canadian Union of Postal Workers 848 vice-president Christina Goldie about the talks between both sides.

At the beginning of the strike, a mediator was brought in to help guide conversation between Canada Post and the CUPW. As the strike continues, the mediator has left the table and both sides are in a cool-off period.

The region-wide protest was held because the local 848 believed everyone needed a “pick-me-up.”

The protest began at the main office in Vernon and continued to MP Mel Arnold’s office just a few blocks away.

The union say it’s fighting for livable wages, pensions, and safe working conditions.

“You’re out in the dark. You’re in all the elements. We go out no matter what. There’s a blizzard, the city shuts down,” CUPW 848 president Jeanette Maleska said “Your post worker is still walking around.”

Over the past two weeks, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said small businesses around the country have lost a combined $765 million due to the strike, an average of $76.6 million per day.

“It really is a wide-scale financial challenge for small businesses at this point,” Canadian Federation of Independent Business representative Emily Boston said. “There’s not many that are slipping through this unscathed.”

Boston said many Canadians are now starting to shift towards using larger carriers.

“Why don’t I just buy it right from Amazon? It’ll be delivered to my door. Then you kind of miss that middle man, meaning that small businesses are chopped out of that equation entirely,” she said.

The strike is expected to continue through the busy holiday season.

Photo: Contributed

Alan Clay is ready to take on the challenges that lay ahead for the Pathways Abilities Society.

The new executive director says one of those challenges is to continue negotiations with the City of Kelowna and UBC Properties Trust to find a resolution to the housing challenges for residents of Hadgraft Wilson Place. They were forced to evacuate the building due to structural instability related to construction at the UBCO downtown campus next door.

Last week, some of the former tenants spoke to Castanet outside the building to highlight how while most have found new places to live, many of them are paying far more in rent than they were at Hadgraft Wilson Place.

“We’re all working hard on behalf of the residents and stakeholders involved, and we are exploring various options around next steps,” Clay said. “It’s too early to determine what that might look like, but we’re committed to a path forward.”

His appointment follows the recent retirement of long-time executive director Charisse Daley, who left after 22 years with Pathways.

“Charisse has played a crucial role in our organization’s journey, and we are grateful for her contributions,” board president Mark Reinelt said. “Under Charisse’s leadership, Pathways has become a leader in our industry, and her vision has set Pathways Abilities Society on a course to be able to continue providing services long into the future.”

Clay has four decades of communications leadership experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He moved to the Okanagan from Edmonton two years ago.

He is looking forward to future partnerships with the City of Kelowna and the City of West Kelowna, where teams from Home Depot recently spent Remembrance Day weekend renovating the Pathways activity service facility at 2476 Main St.

Image: Argus Properties

Argus Properties has submitted a development permit application to expand its industrial development on northern edge of Kelowna.

The company is aiming to build a 50,000 square-foot building that would go behind two others it recently constructed at 300 Beaver Lake Rd.

“Even though not very visible, the architectural design complements the existing buildings fronting Beaver Lake Road,” the application states. “The building colours, materials, openings and overall articulation are similar to the existing buildings but are varied enough to make this proposed building unique.”

The proposed facility would be broken up into six bays over 50,869 square feet. The first two industrial buildings build on the site are both just more than 32,000 square feet.

Argus Properties has plans to construct nine buildings on the property, which is located at the northern end of Jim Bailey Road.

Photo: Contributed

A new martial arts academy is opening in Osoyoos this week, with a professional MMA fighter as its head coach.

On Wednesday at 4 p.m, the South Okanagan Combat Academy will be hosting its first open house at the Sonora Community Centre.

Head coach Tyler VanKill, aka “Squidvicious,” holds a brown belt in both jiu-jitsu and judo. VanKill has a professional record of 4-1, suffering his only loss in a championship bout last April.

“Having trained at high level gyms across Canada, USA and Mexico, Tyler has amassed a high level skillset learned from legendary coaches such as Baret Yoshida, Chris Leben, Jesse Taylor, Raul Arvizu and many more,” reads a SOCA Facebook post.

“His skillset was quickly proven as a coach after living in Kelowna and helping to grow a local competition team to be one of the most successful competitive teams in B.C. jiu-jitsu.”

SOCA instructors are trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling, Muay Thai and self-defence techniques. Thai chi inspired fitness classes will also be offered. Classes are set to begin in the new year.

The academy’s open house will include live martial arts demos from instructors while providing an opportunity to discuss all things martial arts, fitness, personal growth and community support.