DWK spokesperson Kirsten Jones says pedestrians ignoring signage on closed Gellatly Rd. has been an ongoing problem.
(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
June 27, 2014 - 4:26 PM
WEST KELOWNA – Gellatly Bay is one of the most popular spots in West Kelowna to view the Canada Day fireworks, but drivers and pedestrians will have to take a different route to get there this year.
Gellatly Road was closed to traffic May 2 after residents noticed the bank supporting it had eroded to the point where it was in danger of collapsing.
Repair work began in May and was expected to last a few months, but engineering complications have delayed completion by at least another month.
District of West Kelowna spokesperson Kirsten Jones says pedestrians ignoring signage and cutting through the construction zone has been an ongoing problem and with hundreds expected to attend the fireworks Tuesday, the decision to man the entrances had to be made.
“We see pedestrians walk through all the time,” she says. “It’s frustrating because it’s an unsafe construction zone.”
Jones says in order to keep everyone safe on Canada Day, flaggers will be stationed at both entrances to direct pedestrians to one of the alternate routes.
“We’re asking people to think of other ways to get to the fireworks this year,” she says. “It’s better to access the waterfront from Boucherie Road or the Glen Rosa overpass.”
Another option is to take the Westbank to Waterfront trail connection. Vehicles can be parked at Johnson-Bentley Memorial Centre or the Save On Foods parking lot and walk from there.
Jones recommends bringing a flashlight as the trail is not lit and takes approximately 15 minutes.
“It is a hilly climb,” Jones says. “It’s not for everyone but there’s plenty of parking.”
For a complete map of detours available, visit the District of West Kelowna website.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014