Kaitlyn Hammond, assisted by Parksville Fire Department’s captain Eric Millar, shows her delight as she hoses down a playhouse that has fire targets at the Inaugural pop-up water park held at Nicholls Park on Aug. 2. The family-friendly event hosted by the PVFD gave kids the opportunity to beat the heat and cool off by running through a misting spray from an aerial ladder truck and play with the fire hose. (Michael Briones file)

Spray parks set to cool down Vernon soon

Pop-up park couldn't be arranged amid heat wave due to increased fire risk, extreme weather

  • Jun. 28, 2021 12:00 a.m.

Spray parks could pop up in Vernon as soon as July 6, a report to city council says.

But some people were wondering why there wasn’t one this past weekend when temperatures soared into the 40s.

“Due to the combination of extreme weather and the corresponding fire risk which requires having all fire apparatus on standby and COVID-19 restrictions, a pop-up spray park was not provided for the weekend of June 26-27,” the report says.

Planning has been ongoing for a series of pop-up spray parks that will use Vernon Fire Department trucks in parks around town to fill the gap after Polson Park’s spray park was demolished.

Five events through summer are on the docket with locations and times to be varied so different people can participate.

Marshall Fields, Armoury Park, Alexis Park School and Polson Park have all been identified as suitable spots for the event that is still subject to public health orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

A safety plan is currently in development, with flexibility and anticipation of the coming changes set to come down from B.C.’s top doc on Canada Day.

READ MORE: Pop-up spray parks coming this summer in Vernon

READ MORE: ‘Skater boy’ recreates wedding photo at Vernon’s Polson Park


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Vernon Morning Star