Inward sloping sidewalk on Victoria street seen from 3rd avenue eastward/via Paul James

A new call is being made on Kamloops City Council for a broader plan to be developed to beautify and revitalize the downtown core of the city.

Councillor Kelly Hall says with the outdoor patio plans now in-place again for this year, he suggests now may be the time to start mapping out a 5 to 10 year plan for updates to the downtown.

Hall notes that City Gardens is quickly springing up, the Centre for the Performing Arts is on the drawing board and there are plans in place for a potential expansion of the YMCA’s facilities downtown.

“When I say beautification, it’s more than just flowers and pots and nice to have,” suggested Hall.  “What we need is to do a complete re-do of Victoria Street, right from 1st all the way up to 5th avenue.”

Hall suggests Victoria Street is going to remain the hub of the downtown.

“Everything is going to start to unfold here, when you think about it, in the next few years,” said Hall.  “You think of the design of the Kelson towers [City Gardens], you think of the coming on of the Performing Arts Centre, it would be kind of nice to have the crown jewel Street ready to go and designed completely.”

At the same time, Hall says the longer-term plan should look beyond the current confines of what’s considered the business district of downtown, noting the continued growth in Kamloops.

“You’re going to see an inclusion of 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th, where it becomes more vibrant and more robust,” argued Hall.  “That redevelopment has to include that particular area of downtown as well.”

Hall says one area of immediate concern is accessibility, noting the sidewalks along Victoria slope inward for drainage, making them difficult for people with mobility issues.

He says he has already had initial discussions with staff about a long-term plan for the downtown of Kamloops, suggesting he would like to see a broad-based plan moved into the committee stage.