January 17, 2007
Kelowna Daily Courier

Kelowna could be home to a new ski resort and large subdivision south of the Upper Mission.

Developers Nicola and Mark Consiglio took city officials on a tour of their 700-acre property Tuesday. Kelowna Mountain, as it’s called, already has facilities for skiers, snowboarders, rock climbers and hockey players.

“We feel very fortunate to own this incredible parcel of land, and we will always be guided by our respect for what Mother Nature has created here,” Nicola Consiglio said in a statement.

The family has won city approval for 55 lots on 36 acres in the first phase of construction. Lot servicing is now underway.

They plan to build $20 million worth of recreational amenities and a village centre. Their vision is to construct large-lot, single-family housing and multi-family housing over several years. Discussions between the city and the Consiglios continue.

Meanwhile, the couple has developed a winter playground for their family on their land, which starts at the intersection of Gillard Forestry Road and Chute Lake Road. Facilities include an Olympic-standard half-pipe, a terrain park with several runs for skiers and boarders, a hockey and skating rink (220 metres by 25 metres) and a toboggan run.

The couple hopes to build a 100-metre long suspension bridge, a trail link to the Kettle Valley Railway’s rail bed, a series of ski runs, a 1.6-kilometre long water-sports lake, an 18-hole golf course, ice winery and more than 10 kilometres of trails.

The Consiglios may even donate land and cash for a K-12 school for the Upper Mission.

The housing proposal calls for an average of one acre per housing unit. The Consiglios have promised they’ll meet or exceed the affordable-housing recommendations council is expected to adopt this year. They also vow to preserve wildlife and the natural habitat.

They recently developed the $20-million Cottages at Secret Point residential resort on the Westside.

Ken Campbell, who led the reconstruction of the KVR trestles burned in the 2003 fire, said he was impressed by Tuesday’s tour.

“I’m blown away by (the Consiglios’) vision in making an environmentally sensitive development, which in my opinion is a rarity in Kelowna,” he said.

Mayor Sharon Shepherd said Kelowna Mountain has “exciting opportunities.”

“It’s a place, certainly, that recognizes the needs of youth, which is very important for a community,” she said.