Work at UBC Okanagan’s downtown Kelowna tower resumed after a voluntary construction stoppage due to the discovery of cracks in neighboring buildings. The university representative stated that gravel will be placed and spread throughout the site over the next two weeks to raise the overall depth of excavation. Professional engineers have advised that the shoring wall remains stable and raising the excavation depth will help mitigate future soil settlement on adjacent land. The City of Kelowna confirmed that work was restarting on the site and in the Pathways building, with approvals from engineering experts to ensure stability.
The construction stoppage was prompted by cracks appearing in Hadgraft Wilson Place, a residential building housing people with physical and cognitive disabilities. Further geotechnical and structural engineering reports showed that the shoring wall at the university site was unstable, posing a risk of serious structural damage to the building. Residents were asked to leave their homes and were relocated to hotels around the city, where they will remain for at least two weeks. The construction site has also damaged other nearby buildings, including the Okanagan coLab and the Kelowna Royal Canadian Legion Branch.
The $263-million Downtown Kelowna project by UBCO began in November 2023 and involves the construction of a 43-storey highrise and a four-level underground parkade. The excavation for the project is said to be the largest carried out in downtown Kelowna. The university has been working with professional engineers to monitor soil conditions at the construction site as work progresses, and will be keeping the City of Kelowna and Pathways leadership updated on the progress. The resumption of work is the first step in a series of stages aimed at stabilizing the site before moving forward with the project.
The City of Kelowna representative stated that work on the UBCO site was voluntarily stopped multiple times in the past months, but has now resumed under the guidance of engineering experts to ensure stability. The construction work being carried out includes adjustments to the excavation depth for the proposed permanent structure in order to further ensure the stability of the site. The university has received advice from professional engineers that the shoring wall remains stable and that raising the excavation depth will help prevent future soil settlement on adjacent land, such as Hadgraft Wilson Place.
Residents of Hadgraft Wilson Place were forced to leave their homes after cracks appeared in the building foundation, prompting concerns about structural stability. The apartment building, located just meters away from the construction site, was at risk of serious damage if a slip occurred due to the unstable shoring wall. The affected residents were relocated to hotels around the city and provided with food vouchers, with updates expected later in the week. The construction site has caused damage to other nearby buildings in the area, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and stabilization efforts moving forward.
