Eviction notices have gone up on private structures that
litter public beachfront in Lake Country.
No one knows exactly when docks, sheds and cabanas began to
be built on Okanagan Centre public beaches, but the District says they’re
unsightly and against the law.
“It’s now getting to be a safety hazard,” says Lake Country
councilor Lisa Cameron of the structures.
The District of Lake Country will begin tearing down sheds
that have been marked with X’s. Those that have been maintained by nearby
residents have been emptied.
“We’ve probably spent four years actually getting it to this
condition,” says Sue Pekrul of the shady spot across the street from their
home. The Pekrul’s excavated the slope to make their lake access better, but
say they’ve never stopped the public from also enjoying the spot.
“It just doesn’t seem logical to do what they’re doing,”
says David Geen, a long time Okanagan Centre resident who is against taking
down the structures. A floating dock is maintained by him and his neighbours. Geen
believes resident improvements on the beach add to the ambience in Okanagan
Centre.
Get daily National news
But his neighbor Michelle Leboe, who would love to have her
own dock and shed on the beach across from her house, says the private
structures make it look like the public isn’t welcome on the beaches of
Okanagan Centre.
“That’s not your property over there,” says Leboe,
condemning what her neighbours have done over the years on the beach.
While previous councils in Lake Country have ignored the
majority of residents concerns, Cameron says the District is now following
through to prevent further illegal development.
“Eighty eight per cent of the survey respondents said they
wanted private structures off of the public beach, 90 % of the respondents said
they wanted it left natural, and for public use,” says Cameron of a survey of
Okanagan Centre residents done in 2007.
Those who have placed docks on the public beach have signed
structure ownership to the District. Those structures will now be safety tested
before being opened to the public. Private pump houses on the beach are being
left alone in places where they have permits with the District.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.