[11] After a period of suburban expansion into the surrounding mountain slopes, the city council adopted a long-term plan intended to increase density instead — particularly in the downtown core.

The exact dates of the first settlement in the Okanagan Valley are unknown, but a northern migration led to the habitation of this area some 9,000 years ago.

Although the population remained small for the rest of the 19th century, sustenance fruit growing expanded in Kelowna during the 1870s, and by the 1890s, commercial agriculture had become firmly established.

[19] On August 6, 1969, a sonic boom from a nearby air show broke a quarter million dollars worth of glass, injuring six people.

The destruction was caused by a member of the United States Blue Angels during a practice routine for the Kelowna Regatta festival when the pilot accidentally broke the sound barrier while flying too low.

[20] On November 25, 2005, the First Ministers and National Aboriginal Leaders signed the Kelowna Accord, which sought to improve the lives of Indigenous peoples.

[22] On July 12, 2021, a crane suffered a catastrophic failure while being dismantled at a construction site located at St. Paul Street near Bernard Avenue in downtown Kelowna.

Some significant fires warranting evacuations and/or causing damage are listed below: Kelowna's official flower is Balsamorhiza sagittata, commonly referred to as arrowleaf balsamroot.

[33] This is caused by the moderating effects of Okanagan Lake combined with mountains separating most of BC from the prairies; however bitter Arctic air masses can occasionally penetrate the valley during winter, usually for very short periods.

An inversion layer of cloud created by Pacific low pressure system moving into or stalling over the southern interior give Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley near constant cloudy conditions during December and January, making it the cloudiest winter climate in Canada, outside of parts of Newfoundland.

[34] This valley cloud has a low ceiling, and often bright sunshine can be experienced by driving approximately 20 minutes up into the nearby mountains.

[35] During summer, clear, dry air allows night-time temperatures to fall rapidly, however in the built-up city near lakeside, nights are somewhat warm on average by Canadian standards.

It is officially defined as all land north of Highway 97, south of Clement Avenue, east of Okanagan Lake, and west of Richter Street.

These include several parks and beaches, boardwalks and other walking trails, Kelowna Marina and Yacht Club, the Delta Grand Hotel and Casino, and Prospera Place arena.

The other main route through downtown is Bernard Avenue from Richter Street to the lake, with more shops and restaurants designed for locals and tourists.

[49] Kelowna has declared a 1 km2 (0.39 sq mi) downtown area a "red zone" of prolific drug trafficking, assaults and robberies.

It has been extensively developed in the past two decades, transforming from a small suburb with a rural character to large suburban neighbourhoods, including several elementary schools and a rapidly growing commercial hub.

While most of its homes are on the relatively flat valley bottom, several large and more recent neighbourhoods, including the community of Wilden, are being built into the adjacent mountains.

The Midtown area, bordered by Enterprise Way on the north and Springfield and Baron Road on the south, is a popular shopping destination for locals.

Since most of Midtown consists of large, car-oriented big-box stores, it is often criticized for its plainness; its contributions to urban sprawl and the decline of the pedestrian-oriented Downtown; and its lack of green space, as the area was formerly a linear park and golf course.

The Upper Mission begins to extend into the foothills and higher terrain, and many parts of this area boast magnificent views of the city, mountains and Okanagan Lake.

Although most of the area sits on the valley bottom and is therefore relatively flat, the fringes continue up into the hills and are thus built at higher elevations and possess more expansive views than the rest of the neighbourhood; these homes are correspondingly more expensive.

Additionally, the presence of numerous low-rise apartment buildings contributes to a higher population density compared to other areas of the town.

An improvement and gentrification effort has been ongoing for the past decade, with new parks, widened sidewalks, bike lanes, a renovated YMCA, a rebuilt high school, and many new shops and condominiums being added.

In addition to vocational training and adult basic education, the college offers a highly regarded university transfer program.

[63] Due to its moderate population, Kelowna is often used as a market trial area where national businesses and organizations can test a new product.

Kelowna's population growth has been driven primarily by the movement of Canadians from BC and other provinces into this region, not by international immigration.

There are regular flights to and from Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Cranbrook, Whitehorse, and Seattle, as well as seasonal service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, Montréal, Cuba and Mexico.

[98] In 2015, RCMP Superintendent Nick Romanchuk stated, "I am absolutely convinced that as our drug enforcement numbers increase, our overall crime rate will decrease.

This was a slight drop compared to 2011 when Kelowna reported the fourth-highest rate nationally and led the province in family violence.