PLANNING PROCEEDS | Lumby gathers public input on design for spray park and fitness area [A4]
Morning gStar
The
Sunday, May 27, 2012
P R O U D L Y
S E R V I N G
O U R
N O R T H
O K A N A G A N
w w w. v e r n o n m o r n i n g s t a r. c o m
C O M M U N I T I E S
F O R
O V E R
2 0
Y E A R S
FOR 72 MONTHS
ON THE ALL NEW TERRAINS & EQUINOX’S
BANNISTER 4703 - 27th St. VERNON • 250-545-0606
GM
DL#9133
HIGH-FLYING VIEW
BRET CHALMERS PHOTO
Tyler Diggins (left), Shane Mckenzie and Calvin Johnson get a spectacular view of Vernon and Adventure Bay Wednesday morning. This was Johnson’s 500th skydive at Okanagan Skydive.
‘Pathetic’ conditions draw complaints RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
A Vernon resident insists there will be unrealized potential as long as public waterfront deteriorates. Joel Ellams, a realtor who lives on Lakeshore Road, says he is increasingly frustrated with the condition of 10 Okanagan Lake lots owned by the Regional District of North Okanagan. “The beaches are getting pathetic,” he said. Ellams says weeds are allowed to flourish and there is a steady flow of garbage from people using the sites or surfacing from the lake. “There are diapers there and ice bags washed up (from boats). There is dog crap all over.” Besides impacting local residents wanting
to soak up the sun, Ellams believes the lack of maintenance is hurting the economy. “It’s scaring people from developing,” he said of Vernon’s tourist commercial waterfront plan. “You can’t sell resort uses across the street from derelict beaches. We don’t have industry in this town. We need to draw people in to create a stable economy.” In 2011, RDNO allotted $220,000 on upgrades to the properties, including removing dangerous trees, rough grading, installation of a rail fence, signage, benches, lawn and willow trees. Ellams says little action has likely occurred because politicians are too busy wrangling over governance of parks and recreation. LISA VANDERVELDE/MORNING STAR
See DISTRICT on A3
Weeds and garbage are common at public beach accesses on Vernon’s Lakeshore Road.
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