KELOWNA – It’s a $50 million investment that has caught the attention of vandals.
A key aspect of the Kelowna Mountain Wine Park agri-tourism development is four pedestrian suspension bridges, including one that is billed as the longest in North America.
But one of those suspension bridges has recently been badly vandalized to the point of being unsafe.
Some of the under-foot planking has been ripped up as has much of the safety fencing. And complete sections of the walkway have been broken apart.
It’s possible Kelowna Mountain could face legal liability should someone get hurt on the broken bridge.
“Trespassers are basically deemed to assume liability for their own actions,” says local lawyer Joe Gordon. “But some trespassers have succeeded in lawsuits against people who have set traps for them or who have recklessly disregarded the safety of anybody, even trespassers.”
Not repairing the dangerous bridge could perhaps fit that reckless disregard definition.
But even if someone did get hurt, and successfully sued, Kelowna Mountain might not be able to pay any settlement.
The company in recent court pleadings conceded it is effectively out-of-business, alleging the $50 million invested in the development is wasted money.
So from that perspective, repairing the vandalized suspension bridge might be a further waste of money.
Messages left by Global Okanagan News seeking comment from developer Mark Consiglio were not returned.
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