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DKA / About Us

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Mission Statement:

The Downtown Kelowna Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that the Downtown Business Improvement Area (BIA) is a safe and desirable place to conduct business, live, work, play and enjoy through the cooperative efforts of its members and government.

The fifth, five year term mandate began in January of 2009 and will continue to December 2013.

Goals for 2009 - 2013

1. Clean

  • Immediate expansion of the Cleaning Program to include enhanced service to members through the use of a full-time staff member
  • Immediate purchase of additional tools including a pressure washer, vehicle, and other tools to enhance cleaning services offered to the membership
  • Establish regularly scheduled cleaning of sidewalks and alleys in front of and behind properties
  • Enhanced Graffiti removal program
  • Explore additional partnerships to make downtown ‘greener’ (i.e. On-street recycling program, energy efficient public space lighting, etc)

2. Safe

  • Ability for expansion of Downtown On Call program (i.e. expanded hours, additional members on street, visitor information program, etc)
  • Build upon the initial successes of Downtown On Call through improved role definition with RCMP and Bylaw
  • Improve member response times
  • Develop Safe-related education programs and presentations
  • Work with Entertainment Business Owners to address afterhours customer behaviours, transportation, and future integration into the neighbourhood

3. Fun

  • Actively recruit and host additional events which engage the community and highlight our neighbourhood’s best attributes: people, buildings, shops, services, and restaurants
  • Grow the Concierge program by exploring additional partner funding opportunities to add more members each summer
  • Partner with new and existing events to provide expertise, potential sponsorships (in-kind or through financial contributions)

4. Inform

  • Utilize new forms of communication (e-news, text messaging, etc) to maintain contact with stakeholders, partners, members, visitors and guests.
  • Enhance media relationships in an effort maintain accessibility and to share positive stories of what’s happening in the neighbourhood

5. Invest

  • Build on Business Recruitment (Kelowna Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development Commission) partnership efforts to continue to position Downtown Kelowna as an area ripe for investment
  • Educate and communicate with property owners on Façade Improvements programs, building renovations, and redevelopment.

6. Monitor

  • Maintain strong relationships with City of Kelowna, RCMP, and other neighbourhood stakeholders
  • Continue to monitor issues related to the neighbourhood including planning, social/street issues, economic changes, parking/transportation, afterhours entertainment, development, and more
  • Conduct regular evaluations of all programs and initiatives to ensure effectiveness and financial responsibility.