(photo/Friends of Okanagan Rail Trail)

By Kevin Rothwell

Funds will be found

A place to go on the Okanagan Rail Trail

Jan 6, 2021 | 7:30 PM

Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO) staff have been instructed to find funds to place a chemical toilet at the trail head in Coldstream for winter users of the Okanagan Rail Trail (OTR).

Friends of Okanagan Rail Trail and Ribbons of Green Trail Society both wrote letters to the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee (GVAC) requesting that washrooms on the trail be addressed, for convenience and environmental concerns.

Permanent washrooms are currently being constructed at the Kickwillie loop location, however those will be similar to the B.C. Parks washrooms at Kekuli Bay Provincial Park using running water, and would be shut down and winterized at the onset of winter.

“The City of Vernon operates our flush toilets to 20 below, as they have electricity to them,” Vernon Mayor Victor Cumming said.

Maintaining those year around or accessing a chemical toilet on the trail would be expensive with access now restricted at Kekuli Bay.

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B.C. Parks has already informed RNDO that they won’t be re-opening the washrooms, and subsequently have locked the gate leading to the park, as the access road isn’t maintained in the winter.

There are however three pit toilets which are about a 45 metres from the parking lot, and accessible from the trail.

(photo/Facebook)

“That’s certainly what’s being asked for is a significant change in service level,” David Sewell RDNO CEO said. “We don’t close our trails in the winter, but we don’t provide winter services like plowing or washrooms.”

“I think if we don’t do this we will end up with more and more of a mess,” because over the holidays with the amount of people using it, you’re going to have problems,” Coldstream Mayor Jim Garlick said.

Two chemical toilets placed near the Coldstream trail head during construction of the permanent facilities were costing about $1,000 per month.

A motion made by Electoral Area B Director Bob Fleming and seconded by Garlick to have staff find funds to place a chemical toilet at Kickwillie Loop for 5 months, was passed unanimously. The estimated cost for the winter will be about $2,500.

Staff were also instructed to work with B.C. parks to determine how they can work to assist with maintenance of the Kekuli Bay pit toilets, and the placement of signage pointing out the option.

Lake Country has also placed a temporary toilet at the start of the Oyama section of the ORT.