An encampment near Bartley Road in West Kelowna was recently cleared by Okanagan Forest Task Force (OFTF) volunteers in conjunction with RCMP and Natural Resources Canada.
The OFTF Facebook group said the encampment had been there for more than a year. According to B.C. regulations, people can only camp on Crown land for up to 14 consecutive days.
“I was asked to attend by RCMP and Natural Resource (officers) to get my take on the situation and steps it would take to clean it up,” said founder Kane Blake in the OFTF post.
“After many calls and emails between the three of us, we all worked together and came up with a solution that worked to help this area and residents.”
Blake said Natural Resources lined up safe locations for the campers to go to, away from the backcountry. Marios Towing then did the heavy lifting by removing the fifth wheels and campers that people were living in.
“Marios Towing was up to the task and did an outstanding job that took all day,” Blake continued.
Once the campers were moved, volunteers spent most of the day cleaning up the debris and garbage that was left behind.
The group collected 3,420 pounds of metal for recycling.
“Now left with just garbage and roughly 10 people and two trucks going back and forth to a dumpster, it only took a couple hours,” said Blake.
“I would like to thank the RCMP and Natural Resource Officers. It was a learning experience and pleasure working alongside them, everyone that helped today. This was not a planned event but one will be taking place in the same location this spring/summer.”