The City of Kelowna is urging hikers to stay away from the under-construction South Perimeter Road in the Upper Mission area.
The city says construction crews are encountering people choosing to use the area despite the signage indicating the area is closed
“On any given day, large excavators, 40-tonne rock trucks, packers, dozers and other heavy equipment are working on building the South Perimeter Road,” said Johannes Säufferer, the city’s real estate department manager. “We understand that Ponds residents and locals have been using this area for outdoor activities, but it is private property and continued use is causing a significant safety risk.”
While certain areas may look to be free of heavy machinery, the city says that can change quickly and equipment working above or below apparently clear areas can cause falling debris or landslides. Work is set to progress to drilling and blasting as construction continues, further increasing the risk if people continue to disregard the work zone.
“We understand that locals love using this area for outdoor activities, but we need the public to choose other areas to explore,” said Säufferer. “We appreciate the patience of area residents as this work is completed.”
The area will remain closed until the road opens in 2022. Once complete, the 2.9-kilometre road will provide a third access point to the Upper Mission via Southeast Kelowna.
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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: michael.rodriguez@kelownacapnews.com
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