I forgot I'm going to the Rockets game tomorrow, so I'm
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Originally Posted by Wishblade
Hey Everyone! Poster from Halifax here but am looking to move to Kelowna later this year. Really looks like there's some exciting stuff going on, and after some research seems to be the place my girlfriend and I wish to settle our lives next . If anyone has any advice to share to a newcomer it's certainly appreciated! I look forward to sharing in the discussions here
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How exciting! The rental vacancy situation will hopefully be in your favour by then if you're renting. Real estate will be a lot higher than what you're used to in Halifax. Beautiful weather most of the year, but it's always cloudy mid November to mid February. The average temperature is just below freezing and it usually stays around that mark with several stretches a season of temperatures warm enough to ride a motorcycle in and several stretches a season of frigid temperatures. It was -16 this morning, brrr.
The transit system is ok if you rely on it but it's a car dependent city otherwise. Traffic is terrible in the tourist season. Cycling facilities are reasonable for a city of this size although sidewalks are non-existent most areas outside downtown. People are generally friendly, but we have a high property crime rate and a high drug overdose rate. Another common problem is related to the huge number of seniors here -- people mistaking the gas pedal for the brake. With municipal elections coming up and the current mayor on the fence about running for another term, I hope the replacement mayor and council is at least as friendly if not more friendly to development, attracting young families and high tech businesses, and urban facilities.
Lots to do spring to autumn that are free -- ride the Kettle Valley Trail or upcoming Okanagan Rail Trail, kayak or paddleboard Okanagan Lake, hike Knox Mountain, or just spend every single day soaking up rays at the beach, Kelowna is an outdoors person's dream. Downtown Kelowna's happening in the summer and you can catch free concerts Fridays downtown and also at Memorial Park in West Kelowna. In the winter, you can usually still hike up Knox Mountain, take up snowshoeing, or go skating at Stuart Park which is artificially cooled so it is operational even when it's +10 out.
That's all I can think of for now but here's a nice rosy Tourism Kelowna video I love to show people.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cohNti8_SSo