Reopening Kelowna’s downtown won’t be like flipping a switch. Like elsewhere in the province, many shops and services in the city’s core have been closed or curtailed for roughly two months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Now as the province eyes the reopening of retail and hair salons “under enhanced protocols” starting in mid-May, businesses in Kelowna’s downtown are expected to reopen slowly over the coming weeks. “I highly doubt every store is going to be reopen on Tuesday,” said Mark Burley, the executive director of the Downtown Kelowna Association. “I think you will see it happening gradually as people are adapting to the new reality.