Danger zone extended around slumping Knox Mountain hillside

KELOWNA – The City of Kelowna has expanded the no-go zone around the slowly slumping hillside above Knox Mountain Metals in the city’s North End.

Park trails above the slope, and the dead end of Ethel Street below, have been closed and a safe operating zone established for the Knox Mountain Metals recycling operation, civic operations manager Stephen Bryans said in a press release.

The city is warning people not to enter the fenced off are along Royal View Drive with the potential for injury or death should the slope suddenly fail.

Bryans said a geotechnical report commissioned by the city had identified the danger zone.

Knox Mountain Metals is still receiving scrap metal but has suspended sales of new and used metals, Bryans said.

No other properties are considered at risk and a geotechnical consultant will continue to monitor the slope.

Bryans said repairs on the slope will have to wait until the source of groundwater in the area can be found and the slope itself dries out.


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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca

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