The City of Penticton is consolidating its municipal office spaces to create a one-stop customer service hub at City Hall with improved accessibility.
This process marks a significant step forward in the City’s Civic Spaces and Places plan and is part of a broader strategy to improve customer service, optimize the use of civic facilities and support long-term organizational growth.
The change will see Bylaw Services return to City Hall, creating a more centralized and accessible location for residents and businesses seeking City services. Additional visitor parking spaces will be added, as well as improvements to accessible parking spaces.
“Bringing Bylaw Services back to City Hall is a win for the community,” said Kelsey Johnson, the City’s general manager of community services. “It strengthens our downtown presence and ensures that residents can access our customer-facing services in one place, making their experience with the City more convenient and efficient.”
Several corporate administrative teams will relocate from City Hall and a separate office on Westminster Avenue to a new office space at 201-100 Front Street. This includes departments such as Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources and Land Administration – teams whose work supports internal operations and requires minimal public-facing presence. This relocation frees up space at City Hall for customer-facing services and allows for several key enhancements, including:
- A new Bylaw Reception and Intake Desk and dedicated customer space on the second floor.
- A dedicated meeting room on the first floor to support Development Services customers.
- Four additional visitor parking stalls to improve accessibility for residents attending City Hall.
The decision to lease existing commercial space rather than pursue new construction was informed by a detailed analysis of cost, timing and service delivery needs as part of the City’s Civic Places and Spaces plan. The analysis showed that leasing existing space downtown is a more cost-effective and timely solution rather than participating in a new development, while still achieving the City’s goals for improved service and space optimization.
“This consolidation reduces our municipal office locations from four to two, which helps us work more efficiently and serve the public better,” said Angela Campbell, the City’s chief financial officer. “It’s a smart financial decision that reflects our commitment to responsible spending and long-term planning.”
Work will begin this summer with a move-in date expected later this fall. More information will be provided as progress is made. No services will move until work on the spaces are complete.
Bylaw Services will continue its visible patrols downtown and throughout the community, with no service disruptions.
Planning continues for other key priorities under the Civic Places and Spaces plan, including the development of a new Fire Hall Headquarters at the site of Fire Hall No. 2 on Dawson Avenue and a feasibility assessment for new arenas.
To view the July 15 presentation to Council regarding the Civic Places and Spaces plan, visit penticton.ca/agendas.