Volunteers collected trash from the Kal Beach area to mark World Water Day March 22. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Beach Cleanup

Kal Beach area cleaned up for World Water Day

Mar 22, 2023 | 2:20 PM

Dozens of people picked up trash on Kal Beach and the surrounding area to mark World Water Day.

The event had 50 people registered to clean up the waterfront while a number of other people, including some children off for Spring Break, also helped out at the event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 22.

The Regional District of North Okanagan and Allan Brooks Nature Centre partnered to run the event for World Water Day, a United Nations recognized day of education on water, water availability and the environment.

“We’re organizing the beach clean up to connect people with the watershed, which provides all our drinking water, and especially in the Okanagan where we are in a desert and just to kind of be thankful for the water we have and having it nice and clean for everyone,” Rachelle Demetrick, utilities assistant for the RDNO, told Vernon Matters.

Cheryl Hood, manager of the Allan Brooks Nature Centre, said they’re trying to educate people on water, and the human impact on water.

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“So right now, we have people out collecting garbage because that would eventually end up in the lakes and a lot of times, a lot of people don’t think about it, but that’s where the drinking water comes from so we want people to be aware of don’t just throw something out the window, don’t just leave the dog stuff down on the ground as you walk, make sure you’re cleaning up because it impacts not just you, it impacts the whole community of Vernon. And wherever you are, it will impact a much greater region,” Hood said.

As of noon Wednesday, there were a handful of volunteers scattered along Kal Beach, but people were also out picking up garbage from the beach’s parking lot, along Kalamalka Road near Vernon Creek north of the Rail Trail Cafe, and along the Rail Trail.

Mavrik, River-Lee and Nicole pick up trash along Kal Beach to mark World Water Day. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

Jodi, Ganesh, Carolina, Art, Jochem and Simon, the Tekmar Team, with the trash they collected along Vernon Creek. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

The volunteers who registered were provided with grabbers and garbage bags, while those who turned up on their own were given bags. Garbage collectors were also given safety briefs on how to deal with dangerous items such as broken glass or needles.

The organizers also had tents set up on the beach to provide people with information on water quality and tips on how to conserve and protect water.

Darren Murphy, the RDNO’s environmental coordinator, handed out grabbers and garbage bags to volunteers at Kal Beach Wednesday. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

Volunteers being briefed on how to safely collect trash. (Liam Verster/Vernon Matters Staff)

The trash collected by volunteers spanned a wide range: from cigarette butts to cans, to broken glass to some other interesting items.

“I found a giant Pikachu stuffy, which is really gross. Some diapers, lots of cigarette butts. But it’s actually surprisingly clean all things considered,” Jodi, a member of the Tekmar group that volunteered to clean up the area by Vernon Creek, told Vernon Matters.

“We found a Nintendo game, a fishing lure still in its package and brand new, a tire, which we don’t know why but it was there as well,” added Art, another member of the Tekmar team.

A lot of small plastic materials, on their way to breaking down to microplastics, had also been collected in the first hour of the event.

“It’s very good for the public to make these connections of what goes from on the ground to washing into the water,” Demetrick stated.

The organizers noted the turnout for the inaugural World Water Day Kal Beach Cleanup was very positive, with Demetrick stating it’s very nice to see “how people want to help, how they’re giving up their free time to come pick up trash,” and Hood stating “I think people are recognizing we need to contribute. We need to look at helping out because it’s not always someone’s thought to do that and pick it up and take it away. It’s just showing community engagement.”

Hood said they will review the operations, including the amount of trash cleaned up, and see if this could become an annual tradition organized by the RDNO and Allan Brooks .

“I think we should. We haven’t had a chance to have that conversation, but definitely we’re going to have a sit down after it’s all done. And I think it’s important we continue to do that and educate people that trash doesn’t stay still, it ends up in places you don’t want it, like the lakes and then we drink from them.”