It was past midnight on Jan. 22 before Lake Country council decided to move forward a major development proposed by O’Rourke Family Vineyard.
After five-and-a-half hours of public hearings and a regular meeting, council voted to give third reading to rezoning amendments for the Carrs Landing properties.
It was standing room only for the Tuesday (Jan. 21) public hearing, which also included a separate application for zoning changes to properties on Bottom Wood Lake Road. The regular meeting included items other than the O'Rourke application.
O’Rourke vineyard borders Commonage, Carr’s Landing, and Barkley roads. It involves several lots and includes plans for an amphitheatre, food and liquor establishments, a retail store, a winery, a cidery, tourist accommodations, a children’s camp, and employee housing. The district has been working with the O’Rourke family on zoning for the project for several years.
Michael Leitch, project manager, emphasized its potential to boost the local economy, noting the project will create jobs, bring in tourism, and benefit Lake Country residents.
Ex Nihilo Vineyards owner Jeff Harder echoed Leitch’s comments. “I’ve traveled to a lot of other wine regions in the world, and there is nothing like this. They’re building to give back to the community,” he said.
Brad Pelletier, Senior VP of Westbild, the parent company of Predator Ridge, called the project a transformational asset.
“I don’t know of anywhere else in the province that’s seen this level of investment in this corridor - when you think of us, Sparkling Hills, the Okanagan Gondola — for tourism. People jump on airplanes for these things.”
Barkley Rd. resident Tom Obradovich also supported the O’Rourke’s plans. “You should be proud to have this facility in your community,” he told council. “I think the winery is world-class and second to none. You’re looking a gift horse in the mouth.”
Not everyone shared the enthusiasm, however. Larry Hayes, who said he had supported the winery from the beginning, shared a different perspective.
“All I’m hearing is the beautiful stuff about the winery,” he said. “Well, I can tell you that I’m on the other side of the tracks, where I’ve got a gravel pit, a rock-crushing pit, and machinery with beepers going all day long.”
Another Barkley Rd. resident, Edwin Blaschuk, expressed frustration over ongoing construction traffic and noise. He also raised concerns about wildfire risks, noting fires in 2017, 2023, and 2024 in Lake Country.
“I want to know how the O’Rourke family is going to fight a fire. How are they going to evacuate 1,200 people and 500 cars?”
Resident Terrance Day described the project as “ever-changing” and raised concerns about the potential impact of events that might be hosted on the property. He also noted that part of the project is already under construction and questioned whether the council has the authority to deny further rezoning.
“Is there a legal basis for shutting this thing down at this stage?” He noted the massive development will have a profound effect on Carrs Landing.
Before giving third reading to the rezoning changes during the regular meeting, a motion was introduced to defer the application until questions raised during the public hearing could be addressed by staff. However, Mayor Blair Ireland pointed out that these questions were unrelated to land use—the specific matter council was voting on. The motion to defer was defeated.
