Account Login/Registration

Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account, or by entering your information below.


Facebook


OR


Register

Privacy Policy

VIDEO: Park users shocked by threat to close off the waterfront and Knox Mountain

"We need to have an outlet", said one woman enjoying a hike at Knox Mountain Park today, "otherwise people are going to climb the walls."

This after Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran said the city is poised to close Knox and the waterfront promenade if people don't mind their physical distancing.

"We are still receiving concerns about the lack of physical distancing in some of our more popular areas like Knox Mountain Park and the waterfront promenade," said Basran, ahead of Monday's afternoon council meeting.

"If we want to keep these community jewels open," added the mayor, "everyone must practice physical distancing or we will have no choice but to close these areas."

By the "waterfront promenade", the city is referring to the walkway that follows the waterfront from the Bennett Bridge to the bird sanctuary.

<who> Photo Credit: NowMedia

City spokesperson Darren Caul said there have been about 15 complaints a day about people flaunting the expectations of physical distancing, and it was with that in mind that the warning has gone out.

From his chair in council chambers, Basran made it clear, the city is prepared to act. "This is not something council wants to do," he said, "but if physical distancing is not adhered to, we will."

"I feel that they shouldn't be closing parks and stuff like that," said another woman at Knox Mountain today. "People need to get out of their houses a little bit."

"I don't think it would make any sense," said one man out for a walk with his wife. "Especially now that they're saying that things are starting to look like their settling down a bit."

KelownaNow did observe groups of friends meeting for walks and getting a lot closer than two metres apart from one another, while others seemed to be keeping that distance.

<who> Photo Credit: NowMedia

There is signage at both locations about distancing and the narrow trail up Knox Mountain has been turned into a 'one-way' to make it easier for people to stay apart.

City By-Law Officers only have the power to offer warnings about this kind of thing, but the Mayor said it doesn't necessarily stop there.

<who>Photo credit: NowMedia </who>

"They will report repeated cases of non-compliance to Interior Health for follow-up," he said.



If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.

If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.


Send your comments, news tips, typos, letter to the editor, photos and videos to news@kelownanow.com.



Weather
webcam icon

weather-icon
Fri
12℃

weather-icon
Sat
12℃

weather-icon
Sun
15℃

weather-icon
Mon
17℃

weather-icon
Tue
16℃

weather-icon
Wed
12℃

current feed webcam icon

Recent Livestream




Top Stories

Follow Us

Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Linkedin Follow us on Youtube Listen on Soundcloud Follow Our TikTok Feed Follow Our RSS Follow Our pinterest Feed
Follow Our Newsletter
Privacy Policy