Kelowna News

Go slow on organizing a Trash To Treasure day in Kelowna, Coun. Brian Given warns.

"Let's take a step back," Given said as council wound down its discussion this week on running a pilot project on the concept in the near future.

"The intent is good, but a lot of issues go with this idea. We need to do some research and see how good the idea actually is."

The trash-to-treasure concept has homeowners putting unwanted items such as furniture out at the curb on a specified day that others may take for free.

The point of the effort is to reduce the amount of materials ending up at the landfill.

"I'm hearing some caution," Mayor Sharon Shepherd commented in summarizing council's debate.

Some councillors objected to the estimated $12,500 cost of the effort, and others expressed concern about negative impacts on local thrift stores.

A staff report to council noted that the city's Waste Reduction Office had considered such an event in the past, but had concluded that "the potential for high cleanup costs (was) thought to outweigh the benefits".

Council agreed to consider a pilot project for Spring, 2010, and will also solicit regional board interest in holding a region-wide event.

To date, more wildfires have burned in the Kamloops Fire District this year than for the same period in the summer of 2003.

With the height of summer still in front of us, the chief underwriter for Canadian Direct Insurance is concerned people living within interface areas are not adequately protecting themselves.

Karen Hopkins-Lee says there are five things people who live near heavily forested areas need to do, including:

• Remove fuel sources from around your property
  
• Use fire-resistant roofing materials
  
• Use fire-resistant siding materials
  
• Update your insurance policy after home renovations to reflect the true value of your home
  
• Schedule an appointment with your broker to review the safety of your home and home insurance options.

During the Kelowna Firestorm of 2003, Hopkins-Lee says more than 330 homes were destroyed at a value of about $700 million.

"From our perspective, this is a good time to remind policy holders of the risk that is facing them and to make sure they do have proper coverage," says Hopkins-Lee.

"There are so many ways a homeowner can take action now before there is an actual threat."

Hopkins-Lee says many people in high risk areas seem to have slipped back into old patterns.

"For us, 2003 wasn't a long time ago but for some people, you start to forget it was only six years ago. You will see beautifully manicured properties, but they will have shrubbery by the home, or the approach when replacing a roof is to not go with a fire-resistant material."

She says people seem to be looking short term instead of trying to mitigate future risk.

"They're looking at aesthetics instead."

Kelowna RCMP have shut down another suspected drug house.

The home, in the 300 block of Meikle Avenue, was raided Tuesday.

Inside, police say they located 29 marijuana plants, five pounds of dried bud, a quarter pound block of hashish, one ounce of cocaine, 50 grams of loose marijuana plant material and almost 100 ecstasy pills.

Cst. Steve Holmes says no one was inside the home at the time of the raid, however, a 26-year-old male associated with the residence has since turned himself in.

He says a female, also associated with the home, is still at large.

Holmes says both will face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

RCMP are releasing more details surrounding Thursday night's untimely death of a 21-year-old Kelowna man.

Police say the unidentified man was skateboard surfing at the time of the tragedy.

"The young man was hanging on to the passenger door area of the vehicle, being driven by a friend in the 3400 block of Spiers Road," says Constable Steve Holmes.

"The man apparently fell from his skateboard and was accidentally struck by the vehicle, receiving substantial upper body and head injuries."

Holmes says two passersby administered CPR prior to the arrival of emergency crews.

"The man was rushed to Kelowna General Hospital where, sadly, he succumbed to his injuries a short time later."

He says the vehicle has been seized pending a mechanical inspection.

Holmes says the victim's family wish to convey the message that their son's untimely and tragic death will not have been in vain if other young people would stop to consider the consequences of dangerous activities.

"Their son enjoyed skateboarding but he chose to elevate the thrill by combining it with the dangerous practice of being towed by a vehicle. A choice that has left his family to grieve and to question for the rest of their lives."

A young man has been killed in Kelowna, in a car-pedestrian incident.

RCMP say the 21-year old man was hit by a car just after 9 p.m. Thursday night at the corner of KLO Road and Spiers Road.

No other details are available at the moment.

Police continue to investigate and say they'll release more information later in the day.

Provided by

- Kelowna's Best Rock

Get ready for more summer roadwork in Kelowna.

Council has awarded a $2.45 million contract to Hayter Construction Ltd. for four-laning of Gordon Drive between Lanfranco Road and Cook Road.

The final cost could be as much as $2.75 million with council approval of discretionary contingencies of up to $300,000.

William Berry, Kelowna's director of design and construction, told council that tenders are coming in on average at around 20 per cent less than 2008.

Staff had estimated the work would cost $3.53 million.

The work on Gordon this year will be followed by additional work in 2010, specifically, four-laning of Gordon between Cook and Lexington Road, and replacement of the two-lane bridge over Mission Creek with a four-lane structure.

Responding to Mayor Sharon Shepherd's concern about road closures, Berry said one lane would be kept open in each direction during the work.

The 'Four Pillars Approach to Problematic Drug Use' in the Central Okanagan has received a passing grade.

Central Okanagan Drug Policy Coordinator, Christine Walsh, made that valuation after presenting the report card on the 2005 community coalition document.

While giving the document a 'B' grade overall, Walsh says the community is more engaged and willing to seek positive solutions in the areas that need more attention, including improving timely service and treatment capacity.

In those areas, Walsh awarded a low 'C-' grade.

"Formalized addiction services are just the tip of the iceberg when addressing individual needs of people struggling with addiction, yet they are valuable resources when a community is seeking support in response to addiction," says Walsh.

"The 28 actions outlined in the Framework document demonstrate addiction recovery is first about enhancing community safety for all, including those in active addiction, as well as others affected by the consequences of addiction."

Walsh says since the Framework was written, many improvements have been made in the area of community support and our collaborative response to substance abuse.

"There's been greater cooperation and coordination between the public, enforcement and non-profit agencies that deal with people impacted by addictions. Effective treatment, harm reduction and prevention activities are addressing drug related health issues."

She says efforts to establish a 'Sobering Station' and 'Community Court' are examples of ways the community is willing to consider new ways of managing chronic addiction.

View complete document. (pdf file)

Update: 2 p.m. The probable cause of the Pixie Beach Resort fire was a short circuit involving the hot water tank combined with the ignition of material stored on top of the hot water tank. Damage is estimated at approximately $100,000.

Fire has all but destroyed two cabins and damaged a third at Pixie Beach Resort in Winfield.

The fire broke out about 5:30 Wednesday afternoon.

The resort overlooks Okanagan Lake.

Lake Country Assistant Chief, Brent Penner, says fire started in one cabin and spread to others.

"The radiant heat from the first fire caught the second cabin on fire," says Penner.

"We had a real chain reaction thing going on there."

Penner says the cabin where the fire originated is completely down, the second cabin is standing but completely gutted while the third suffered superficial damage to the deck.

He says the fire moved fairly quickly.

"Upon arrival, two cabins were involved. As the guys were taking the lines off the first truck in, a third cabin became involved."

Penner says the cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

He says an electrical inspector has been called in to look over the scene.

Damage is estimated at approximately $100,000.

He apparently intended to rob a bank, but forgot one important thing -- the money.

RCMP Constable Steve Holmes says the man in question attempted to rob the downtown branch of Interior Savings Credit Union Thursday morning.

"He produced a note to the teller demanding money, and included a threat. The suspect became nervous, however while waiting to receive the money, and fled the building empty handed, says Holmes.

"Police moved quickly to set up a perimeter and brought in Air 3 in an attempt to locate the suspect, who was last seen on foot going in an unknown direction."

He says the man is described as being in his late 20's, 5'6" to 5'7" with a skinny build. He was clean shaven with a shaved head.

He was wearing gray baggy pants, a black t-shirt with some kind of logo on the front and a gray hoodie with a silver pattern on it.

Holmes says the hood was pulled over the man's head.

He also had white sunglasses and white shoes.

Police deployed Air 3 and the dog squad in an effort to locate the man.