Wedding party bear sprayed at Cherryville campsite

The latest criminal activity at a popular Cherryville campground has pushed locals over the edge.

A wedding party was bear sprayed by an individual camping at the Meadows, off Sugar Lake Road, July 31.

“There was an argument between campers,” Vernon North Okanagan RCMP Sgt. Colby Attlesey said. “Alcohol is believed to be a factor as well.”

One suspect was arrested and released. No formal charges have been made yet.

“This recreation site is no longer safe for children or families,” a letter to elected officials from Cherryville residents reads.

Along with criminal activity, human feces and overflowing outhouses are a problem at the site.

Garbage and debris are also common, with the latest incident leaving a camp full of supplies, including a couch, trashed and abandoned.

Due to the July 31 incident, the Conservation Office is also doing an investigation.

Cherryville residents have since taken it upon themselves to clean up the site.

But they remain frustrated over the ongoing problems at the once-serene and beautiful spot next to the Shuswap River.

“What would you do if this was in your neighbourhood?” the letter asks.

“What are you intending to do about it?”