Straight From DeHart – July 10, 2019

Boston Pizza downtown at 545 Harvey Avenue has new owners. The present owners of Cora Breakfast and Lunch Kelowna, Kenneth ChauDouglas Chan and Wendy Cheung have now partnered with Dominic Goyette and his wife Sandy Hildebrand to acquire the Boston Pizza. Dominic, who comes from a background of hotels and hospitality, is the full-time operator and general manager of the restaurant. The new owners are planning complete renovations within the next year. All the same great staff and crew are at the restaurant. Boston Pizza has a new menu with some great new pizzas and sauces along with other menu items. New are Royal Hawaiian (the main stay Hawaiian with a twist), The Hungry Carnivore Pasta and the Black Bean Veggie Burger, along with many other new items. Along with eating in the restaurant, you can order online at www.bostonpizza.com, call 250-861-5883 or they also offer fast and furious delivery service.

The City of Kelowna Float won two prestigious awards in the Calgary Stampede Parade this past week. A Red Ribbon for 2019 Best Overall Entry and a Blue Ribbon for 2019 Best Municipal Entry. Congratulations to Float Ambassador Clarence Johnson along with Lady of the Lake, Olivia Solano and Princess, Jennifer Werner.  The Kelowna Float will be travelling to Penticton for the Peach Festival on August 10th.

Weninger Construction and Design is celebrating 30 years in business. The company was started in 1989 by Marlin Weninger and his parents Ron and Elfrieda and wife Pauline. Marlin and Pauline continued on with sister-in-law Josette Genest and five years ago their daughters Shauna Wizinsky and Robyn MacDonald joined. There are six women in their construction office and a skilled onsite staff of 15 led by Ethan Whittla. Weninger Construction and Design (WCD) offer work of custom homes, multi-family and commercial and specialize in the design builds or larger more detailed custom homes. The company has received many awards for their unique features and hand craftsmanship. One of their most exciting projects is the development that is now called Black Mountain Golf Community. The company also does design builds and managing development projects for local developers. Weninger now has a design arm called Cobalt Design where they do their 3D plans and visuals and added services of interior design, furnishings, décor and window and blind coverings. www.weningerconstruction.comwww.cobaltdesign.ca

 

Brett Millard, CFP, CIM, Regional Manager – Okanagan of Investors Group Financial Services Inc. is the new board chair of FP Canada, formerly known as Financial Planning Standards Council or FPSC. Brent will succeed Dan Busi, CFP and has been on the FP Canada board since 2014 serving most recently as vice-chair. brett.millard@invetorsgroup.com

Ian and Louise Donn have opened My Garden Wedding, which is a new wedding and event venue with four open air event spaces overlooking Kalamalka Lake in Lake Country at 16750 Gatzke Road. The Moongate and Inverted Chapel that were designed by Ian are completely customizable with your colours, personality and décor. There is also a Greenhouse and a Wild At Heart viewpoint for elopements and intimate events with parking for 120 and the ability to seat even more guests. They are hosting a grand opening on July 14th from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. that is free for the community with entertainment, event styling, music performance and prizes. Tours of the venue will be from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Call 250-212-7307 or visit www.mygardenwedding.ca

Huge thanks to Zackery Plaxton of the T/D Bank in Dilworth Centre for his exception service.

First College has opened a second campus in downtown Kelowna at #301 – 1475 Ellis Street. Their first campus is at 209 – 3011 Louie Drive in West Kelowna. The President of First College is Jason Zhong and the Director is Timothy Yang who is in charge of the day to day operations. First College trains health care professionals with the Health Care Assistant Diploma Program (HCA).  They have 10 college staff with five classrooms, one ballroom, one computer room and one health care lab. The college will offer two new programs in January, 2020 being the Registered Massage Therapy (RMT) Program and the Community Support Worker (CSW) – Human Services Program. They operate their classrooms from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  www.firstcollege.ca

The 30th Annual Downtown Kelowna Block Party, Kelowna’s largest free street festival is Saturday, July 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The street will be lined with stages, vendors, food trucks and over 18,000 people spanning three blocks across Bernard Avenue.  www.downtownkelowna.com

The City of West Kelowna has a new CAO. Paul Gipps has relocated from the Fraser Valley Regional District where he has been chief administration officer. Paul is replacing longtime CAO Jim Zaffino whose contract was not renewed.

Clair Jantzen, Grief and Loss Therapist is hosting a three day facilitator training workshop Monday to Wednesday, August 12th to 14th from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily at the Willow Park Church. It is an intensely personal workshop designed to teach one how to support the bereaved in groups. To register call 250-801-3648 or www.clairjantzen.ca/workshops 

Relocating from Vancouver, certified financial planner Brian McGuire has joined Peacock Sheridan Group. www.peacocksheridan.com

Led by CEO Lane Merrifield, FreshGrade Education is a 40 employee’s strong education technology start-up headquartered in downtown Kelowna in the Innovation Centre. The company has just received the Co-op Employer of the Year recognition from UBC Okanagan. FreshGrade Education is an eight-year old Software as a Service (SaaS) education technology company with an additional eight software engineers working from a satellite office in Gastown Vancouver. They have also just re-launched its popular platform with information on their revised website www.freshgrade.com

Blood Services Public Service Drive is now until August 5th calling all public service employees to donate. The centre is open weekly Tuesday to Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and every 2nd Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Summer students Olivia Marleau and Kathleen McMahon are out and about for the next six weeks promoting awareness and the need for donors over the summer. Contact Gayle Voyer at 250-979-8053 or [email protected].

Kelowna Secondary School, Class of ’69 is celebrating their 50th reunion on July 26 and 27. There are still many classmates missing that the committee would like to extend an invitation to attend.  For more information contact [email protected]

Birthdays of the week – Happy 75th Steve Kinsey (July 11); Happy 85th Terry Flannigan (July 12); Sherry Huva, my niece (July10); Shirley Hutt (July10); Gary Bakelmun (July11); Dave McLean (July 11); Gerry Moller (July 13); Cathy Comben (July 13); Luanne Chore (July 14); Stacey Metcalf (July 14); Ken McWilliams (July 14); Fabio Santana (July 14); Magda Kapp (July 15); Christine Greer  July 15); Marie Mandl (July 16); Lil Moller (July 16); Lori Ponton (July 16).

Maxine DeHart is a Kelowna City Councillor and local hotelier. Phone her at 250-979-4546 or 250-862-7662; E-mail [email protected]