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(photo Targa Bambina)
By John McDonald
Targa Bambina, a staged road rally race, is set to take over West Kelowna’s Glenrosa Road on the May long weekend just over 12 weeks from now. According to its website, organizers Targa Canada West, based in Nelson, is promoting the event, taking entries and generally whipping up excitement in the rally racing community.
There’s just one small problem.
Targa Canada West does not have approval from the District of West Kelowna to stage the event and has, in fact, only just held preliminary consultations with residents affected by the road closures the event requires. The company has not yet responded to a request for an interview by Kelowna.com.
“They’re jumping the gun. It requires council assent,” said West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater. “I’m a bit surprised. It’s a little offensive that they would expect approval to be automatic.”
Both Targa Canada West and the Glenrosa Neighbourhood Association are on the agenda for next Tuesday’s council meeting.
The mayor said he knows few details of what the company is proposing other than it requires a lengthy closure of Glenrosa Road.
“What I want to see is what are the benefits to the neighbourhood from using our roads,” said Findlater.
Michael Trenn, president of the Glenrosa Neighbourhood Association, said he’s not that concerned with the company jumping the gun on municipal approvals.
“People can say anything on a website,” he said. “That’s just a sales tactic.”
Trenn attended an open house held by the company Wednesday night and described their presentation as “very preliminary.”
“They are just at the very beginning of the fact-finding stage,” he added. “They were trying to gauge the resident’s thoughts and feelings about closing down a major road on a long weekend.”
Trenn said that while he isn’t necessarily opposed to the event, there are a many questions that need answers before he could endorse it, such as parking, amenities and where spectators would congregate.
“The biggest thing by far is closing a main road for as long as it may take,” he said. “You can’t just lock people up in their houses. We’re waiting until they come back with more information before we comment on them. I think they know the concerns we have.”
He, too, doesn’t see much benefit to the community most affected by the event.
“There may be something for the surrounding area, but nothing specifically for Glenrosa,” Trenn added.
In the interim, the District of West Kelowna is also trying to gauge community support for the event in advance of next Tuesday’s council meeting.
Communications and information coordinator Kirsten Jones said comments can be mailed to:
Mayor & Council
2760 Cameron Road
West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2T6,
or emailed to
info@districtofwestkelowna.ca
Phone: (778) 797-1000
john@kelowna.com
250-575-0521
6 Responses to “Rally race planned for Glenrosa Road jumps gun on council approval”
Tags: glenrosa, rally race, targa bambina, West Kelowna
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my kids are pretty excited
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It’s called marketing Findlater. Does everything have to be an offense? You guys don’t know how to manage your way out of a wet paper bag never mind manage a city. yeesh.
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It never ceases to amaze me how closed minded people are. How many of those opposed to this event would be more than happy to to another city and watch an event on closed, mumicipal roads like a triathalon or even a parade?
The towns in Newfoundland (where the Targa is very popular) fight for the chance to have the race pass through. You have to remember that the Targa is a travelling road show. The idea is that they plan an event in or near your town and encourage you (the community) to piggy-back on the event’s visibility, allowing you to bring more exposure to your community and what it has to offer in the way of dining, attractions and the like.
People complain that there aren’t things for families to do yet, when an opporunity arrises, they balk at the prospect. It makes me sick.
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It seems pretty clear they’re aware they need the approval of local residents and Council, they’re just puffing up and marketing. No harm done here…
I think also that its a bit odd to expect a concrete benefit for residents. Either they’ll like being on the route or they won’t. It’s not like these guys have deep pockets to build or provide something. It’s just a race.
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I would not be opposed to this rally race if it did not pass directly by family homes. I would be extremely put out if I had to stay locked in my home for 5 or more hours, not to mention the noise, pollution, and danger factors.
Just think if this were your house that a high speed race were fly past. I just can’t see why they can’t use unpopulated roads
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This is exactly the kind of annual event the city needs. Of course consultation with residents is required, and yes there are plenty of roads in the area to use. The idea is to encourage residents to participate. The benefits to the community as the event grows over time will be fantastic. Ask anyone in Penticton about the Ironman, it is an event that residents are proud to host. We have a chance to host an ANNUAL NATIONAL EVENT, lets at the very least be positive, open and grateful the organizers have chosen this community over others to host the event.
Please continue discussion on the forum: link