Vernon Matters file photo

By Liam Verster

Environmental Monitoring

Pond at BX Ranch dog park to remain closed for several years

Apr 23, 2024 | 5:00 AM

Pet owners won’t have access to the pond at BX Dog Park for a number of years.

At the regular meeting Monday, April 22, Vernon City Council heard the upgrades to the sediment pond require that part of the park to be closed to dogs and people for five years.

“As part of our Department and Fisheries and Oceans approval we have a five year environmental effectiveness monitoring program going,” Mark Dowhaniuk, Vernon’s Manager of Infrastructure, told council

“So we have to make sure that over eighty per cent of the plants that are planted there live and establish themselves so that they can provide a habitat and shade cover. So it will be several years before we open up that [fenced area] to the public.”

Discussions around the dog restrictions at BX Park were held as council received an update on the sediment pond, which stated the project was completed in 2022, though part of the approval for that work was a Department of Fisheries and Oceans requirement for a significant amount of riparian planting.

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Habitat restoration work was done at the site in 2023, though a lot of the plants died due to drought conditions and the cold snap last year.

Those plants were under warranty and would be replanted in 2024, with Dowhaniuk noting the city has budgeted for additional plants through carryovers should the ones planted this year die as well,.

The watering plan for the site that was previously overseen by a contractor has been taken over by the city.

It was also brought up at Monday’s meeting that the surface of the access road to BX Park was not suitable for use by wheelchair-users, though it was noted it’s a service road and gravel used for it is not the same quality as the material used for the trails.