Flood work closes Vernon dog park, longer

Flood work will close the BX Dog Park more often than anticipated.

The sediment pond under construction along Upper BX Creek will be taking place on some Sundays, as well as the originally-scheduled Monday to Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

“In order to meet strict permitting deadlines and environmental regulation requirements that are related to this type of project, the contractor has confirmed that construction will have to take place on some Sundays,” the city of Vernon said. “The park will be closed when workers are on site and will be re-opened for use during non-construction hours.”

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While the park is closed for work, residents and visitors are encouraged to visit and explore one of the many other dog-friendly parks, trails, or beaches within the Greater Vernon area. A list of available locations can be found at tourismvernon.com, which includes details about which sites allow dogs off-leash.

Dog-friendly locations include, but are not limited to:

• Mutrie Road Park (east end of 43rd Avenue and right turn onto Mutrie)

• Mission Hill Park (3900 15th Ave.)

• Becker Park (behind the Vernon Recreation Centre, near 39th Avenue)

• Polson Park (2600 Hwy 6)

• Grey Canal Tail

• Middleton Mountain Park and Trails

• Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park pet beach

• Ellison Provincial Park sandy (pet) beach

Recent freshet flood events in 2017, 2018 and 2020 mobilized substantial amounts of sediment, causing overbank flooding and infilling culverts along BX Creek.

“Sediment transport within the BX Creek channel is a natural process and is expected to continuously impact the flood risk for Vernon,” the city said.

Earlier this year, the city received a $747,000 grant through the UBCM Community Emergency Preparedness Fund from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General. The sediment pond project in Upper BX Creek is intended to manage the sediment deposition along BX Creek, significantly reducing pressure on key crossings and reducing the risk of flooding downstream.

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