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Is your Kelowna home a sandy fortress? It’s safe to put away the sandbags

Residents can begin removing flood protection measures, says the emergency operations centre
12337069_web1_180614-WIn-sand

Central Okanagan residents can start removing the sandbags from around their homes.

The Emergency Operations Centre is demobilizing most of its flood protection measures and it advises residents to consider doing the same, according to a news release.

Residents who have sandbags on their properties can return them to authorized locations as found at www.cordemergency.ca/map. Sandbags will be accepted until the end of Thursday, June 28.

Sandbags should be returned with the sand still in the bags.

Authorized locations include:

Kelowna:

Cook Road Boat Launch outside the Hotel Eldorado on Cook Road in Kelowna

Lake Country:

Marshall Park (16411 Carrs Landing Rd.)

Kopje Park (15490 Carrs Landing Rd.)

Oyama Firehall (15656 Oyama Rd.)

Beasley Park (11471 Reiswig Rd.)

West Kelowna:

Falcon Park (1343 – 1339 Green Bay Rd.)

Beechnut Park (2407 Whitworth Rd. and 2395 George Crt.)

Casa Loma Beach Park (2606 Casa Loma Rd).

Sternwheeler Park (1653 – 1649 Pritchard Dr.)

Westbank First Nation

Government office parking lot (515 Highway 97 South)

Peachland

13th Street and San Clemente Avenue (4217 San Clemente Ave.)

Regional District of Central Okanagan:

Two firehalls in Joe Rich (114881 Highway 33 and 6550 Goudie Rd.)

Short’s Creek Firehall (7355 Westside Rd.)

Wilson’s Landing Firehall (2396 Westside Rd.)

Ellison Firehall (4111 Old Vernon Rd.)

Residents dealing with sandbags on private property should take precautions when working around stagnant water as sandbags that have been sitting in water can contain mould. Residents should wear N95 respirators, nitrile gloves and rubber boots and thoroughly wash hands and clothes after handling the bags, the release said.

Under no circumstances should sandbags be emptied into creeks, lakes, wetland, beaches or other watercourses as outlined in the Water Sustainability Act. The impact can destroy fish habitat and affect drinking water supply, infrastructure, flood control, navigation and recreational activities. It is also illegal.

The log boom near Hot Sands Beach in Kelowna will be removed on Friday, June 15. The log booms near Swim Bay in Peachland and Maude-Roxby Bird Sanctuary in Kelowna will remain in place until Okanagan Lake drops to the full pool level of 342.48 metres. As of this morning, the lake is at 342.62 m.

Because Okanagan Lake is still above full pool, boaters are encouraged to keep their distance from the shoreline and keep speeds down to reduce potential shoreline erosion by wakes and waves.

For more information, visit www.cordemergency.ca, sign up for e-updates, or call the information line at 250-469-8490.


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