One Okanagan park will not be opening this week as COVID-19 restrictions ease up.
Hanson Park in Cherryville was already closed, but will likely remain so for much longer as it is flooded.
Water was rushing through the park Monday, June 1 as high water pushed through a drainage ditch.
“The water is flowing right down through Hanson Park right now,” said Cherryville director Hank Cameron.
Crews are working in the area with a machine to divert the water, add rip rap rock and do what they can until is rescinds.
“We haven’t lost any major assets yet,” said Cameron.
But it’s one of the worst situations he’s seen in the area.
“This water is actually higher than it was in 2018,” said Cameron. “It came up last night (Sunday, May 31) in the middle of the night about a foot higher.”
No homes are threatened by the nearby Cherry Creek, which runs next to the park on North Fork Road. But Cameron’s neighbour’s bridge was in jeopardy due to a log jam.
After speaking with some of those who spend the winter in the snow, Cameron says this year’s snowpack is denser than normal.
“What I hear from the heli skiing people is there’s a lot of moisture content in the snow.”
The flooding takes place just days prior to what would have been the annual Cherryville Days, but the event was cancelled due to COVID-19.
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