To give a bit of background as to why we
chose Kelowna; whilst having no idea what it was like, we had previously lived
in Fernie, B.C. for a ski season and loved living in Canada so much that we
wanted to come back but stay for longer this time.
It was the beautiful
landscape, the open, friendly, and relaxed people, the similar values that
Canadians and Kiwis share, the many outdoor activities available and the
hugeness and variety that Canada
has to offer that means you can never get bored. While discussing where to come
back to, Kelowna
seemed to tick all the boxes that we were looking for: close to the mountains;
hot summers; big enough for job opportunities; small enough that you don’t feel
like you are in a rat race; close to the water and plenty of activities to
become involved in.
Kelowna also intrigued Richard and I from a professional development
standpoint. I have a bachelors degree
in Science with a major in Geography and specialization in Environmental
Science. I am very much interested in sustainability, urban design, low impact
design and development, town planning and of course environmental management.
My
last job was in an Environmental Policy Anlayst role in the City Planning team
at Auckland City Council. Richard
is a residential carpenter and enjoys the challenge that each new project
brings. I personally find the many issues and complexities that Kelowna is facing as a
growing city extremely interesting. How sustainability and good urban
management fit in to this model is even more interesting to me.
Zoe Shorter has recently moved to Kelowna from New Zealand.
She specializes in environmental science and is interested in
sustainability and urban design. You can contact her via email at zshorter@hotmail.com
