1450 K.L.O. Road
Kelowna, B.C. V1W 3Z4
Telephone: (250) 763-4918
Fax: (250) 763-0606
www.regionaldistrict.com
September 18, 2003
Parks Open – Bear Sightings
Six more Regional Parks are open for public use. Parks staff has finished their risk inspections and removed any potential hazards in Three Forks, Eain Lamont, Gellatly Heritage, Glen Canyon, Mount Boucherie and Rose Valley Regional Parks. Earlier this week they re-opened Mill Creek, Mission Creek, Kalamoir and the Woodhaven Nature Conservancy. They were among 12 Regional Parks that were closed over the summer because of the threat of fire.
Even though we’ve had some rain, ground conditions are still dry. Residents using any park are asked to use extreme caution and they should stay on trails. Please don’t smoke in natural areas and if you do smoke, please ensure all smoking materials have been completely extinguished and safely discarded.
Parks staff is assessing the damage sustained in two parks by the Okanagan Mountain Park fire. As a result, both Bertram Creek and Cedar Mountain remain closed as they contain many hazards and are not safe.
With the start of the Kokanee-salmon spawning season, there have been many bear sightings, particularly along the creeks in Mission Creek Regional Park and Hardy Falls Regional Park. Park users can reduce potential conflicts by staying well away when a bear is spotted, traveling in a group, making noise or carrying something that makes noise (like a bell) while on hiking trails or along paths near any creek where fish are spawning.