Club revving up for Bachelor Heights off road vehicle area clean up
KAMLOOPS – A group of outdoor enthusiasts are rolling up their sleeves for a clean up blitz of a backwoods recreation spot near the Lac du Bois grasslands.
The Kamloops 4×4 Club’s focus is the designated off road vehicle in Bachelor Heights area near the protected grasslands.
Wes Kibble has been involved with the group for about seven years and had a hand in organizing this year’s effort.
“There’s a lot of household waste. We’ve found abandoned cars, paint, construction waste, commercial and residential garbage, couches and canopies. We pick up whatever we can find,” Kibble says.
Members from other naturalist organizations are pitching in to help out in this collaborative effort.
Last year the group collected more than 800 lbs. in nails alone from the parking lot of the off road vehicle area.
“We use magnets to pick up nails that come from people burning pallets up there. Unfortunately that’s the same area where everyone unloads and kids run around in too,” Kibble says.
Participants are meeting at the main off road vehicle parking lot at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 7.
Volunteers should bring personal safety gear like gloves, safety goggles and dress for the weather. The club is providing garbage bags and bins.
Club organizers have mapped out known problem areas. Volunteers will go out in groups to those spots, fill bins and bring them back. Others will stay and concentrate on the parking lot area.
“It’s disgusting how people go out there and dump things. We can’t just let it sit out there,” Kibble says.
The group has organized a deal to bring collected items to the dump free of charge.
“Show up with gloves and great attitude and we will go from there,” Kibble says.
Anyone interested in volunteering can check out the event on Facebook or email Kibble at weskibble@gmail.com.
Read more about the protected Lac du Bois Grasslands and past clean up efforts here.
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