Signs discouraging impaired boating vandalized in West Kelowna

A sign put up to encourage people to report impaired boaters was taken down in West Kelowna, and the group that put the sign up is getting together a cash reward for information.

The sign was posted at the public boat launch in West Kelowna telling folks to call 911 if they see someone driving a boat while intoxicated. The sign has been removed by vandals twice in the past 18 months.

Bill Hetland is with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD, Central Okanagan and he said one sign is still up but others have been torn down.

“When I look back on my 69 years with a bunch of friends growing up on the prairies, whenever you did stupid, idiotic things, 95 per cent of the time alcohol was involved and now it’s maybe alcohol and drugs are involved,” Hetland said.

He’s working on getting CCTV footage from the West Kelowna Yacht Club where the boat launch is to try to catch the vandals. He said MADD is going to work with Crime Stoppers to put out a $1,000 reward for identifying whoever took the signs down.

“At the end of the day, just don’t be impaired when you’re driving a boat. The RCMP will be out. They will be watching,” Hetland said.

Roughly 20 people are killed in alcohol related incidents on the water in B.C. each year.

“We just think that it’s probably a good idea in the valley here, on a beautiful lake, that this type of awareness should be carried through on the lake,” he said.

He said MADD Central Okanagan could always use more volunteers to help himself and the chapter president Amanda Lane.

“Our president, she’s doing a fantastic job. If you have been affected by someone that’s caused an accident or taken a life or whatever because of impairment, we would love you to be part of MADD Central Okanagan,” he said.

For more information about MADD Central Okanagan, or to contact them to volunteer, go here.