Kelson Group breaks ground on ‘game-changer’ City Gardens

KAMLOOPS — Crews have officially started working on the most ambitious housing project ever approved in the city. City Gardens, a multi-family 525-unit apartment complex, is now underway.

“I really believe that this is a game-changer for Kamloops,” said Ron Fawcett, founder of the Kelson Group, the company building City Gardens.

At a ground-breaking ceremony Wednesday morning, Fawcett told CFJC Today that the project is a long time coming.

“It was one thing I always wanted to do in my life — develop a big piece. So for me, actually doing it is a dream come true.

Fawcett said he and his wife will live in one of the residential towers once they are built. He thinks City Gardens will bring change to the city as a whole.

“I do believe that this will bring other development to the downtown. I think we’ll set a standard that other people will have to meet. I think it’s gonna be a gorgeous city,” said Fawcett.

Kamloops Mayor Ken Christian says this project is in line with the city’s plan for more compact living.

“One of the things we always try to do as local government is avoid urban sprawl. We want to see development in our downtown core,” he said.

“We already have the services here to deal with the water and the sewer and the firefighting and the storm sewer and those sorts of things. So this just adds to the density and the efficiency of our public works.”

The project, which will also include several six-storey rental buildings and townhouses, is expected to be finished in about eight years.