Directors oppose dumping of snow

Roger Knox - Vernon Morning Star Published: August 15, 2009 12:00 PM

The only snow the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee wants to see in a local park is the type that falls from the sky.GVAC directors voted to recommend to the North Okanagan Regional District that the regional board not allow the City of Vernon to dispose of parking lot and street snow in BX Ranch Park, a popular dog park.“The public has clearly said the park is a park,” said Mike Macnabb, regional district director for BX-Silver Star.“I don’t want to see that park continue to be used for other purposes. That’s unacceptable to me. It’s a large concern.”The committee tabled a motion in March that the regional district allow disposal of street and parking lot snow at BX Ranch Park subject to Vernon and the regional district entering an agreement on terms approved by the regional board.

Numerous complaints have been issued to GVAC regarding the dumping of snow in the park, ranging from animals being subject to glass from dumped snow, to the possibility of de-icing chemicals ending up in BX Creek, which borders the park. Buffy Baumbrough, a GVAC director from the City of Vernon, said the committee received very clear information that dumping snow in the park was not having any environmental impact.“It’s been stated that the area where the snow is dumped is separate from the rest of park,” said Baumbrough. “Continued monitoring of the situation will occur, and the City of Vernon acknowledges the issues raised by residents.”

Macnabb suggested if the city insists on putting snow removal in parks that Polson Park is a lot closer.“Let’s get it through our heads: BX Ranch Park is a park. It’s not an operation for the city,” said Macnabb.In the end, directors voted to recommend to the board that snow removal not be disposed of in BX Ranch Park, with Vernon directors Baumbrough, Mary-Jo O’Keefe and Wayne Lippert voting against the motion.