Residents of Truswell Road, at the end of Mission Creek, are frustrated with ongoing underage beach parties – but more importantly, they’re concerned for the safety of the kids.
Gary Bugeaud bought a beautiful property backing onto the water at the edge of Mission Creek but due to low water levels in Okanagan Lake this year, the beach area is bigger and has turned into a party spot for teenagers.
He told the Capital News that sometimes there will be hundreds of who he believes are underage partygoers doing drugs and drinking. “We’ll find needles we’re cleaning up the next day,” he explained.
“By the end of the night, they’re getting sick.”
Bugeaud recognizes the beach area as public property, so he expects some level of congregation.
“But it’s the fueling with the alcohol for underage kids that is more concerning,” he said.
Bugeaud alleges people are urinating on private property, damaging homes and even reports of theft that have become a weekly concern.
RCMP has attended the area, however, once the group disperses, the crowd then makes its way through a hidden pathway from the beach to Truswell Road disturbing other properties along the way.
“The police basically leave them alone once they get this far,” said Jake Thiessen, a resident who lives on the opposite side of Truswell Road.
“We’ve had at least two occasions where the ambulance came and revived people on the front lawn. They were either overdosed on drugs or had been drinking too much, but they were right out of it,” said Thiessen.
Truswell Road residents say police have been contacted multiple times.
A group of about 10 different residents told the Capital News that they think regular patrolling by the RCMP or bylaw officers could be a solution to the problem.
In an email to the Capital News, Kelowna RCMP said patrol areas are determined by call volume. Residents should continue to report issues so that police can direct resources to that area.
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