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Sandbag dikes held but pier damaged in storm

Already damaged in an earlier storm, Penticton’s Walking Pier suffered more in Saturday’s windstorm
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Paddleboarders cruise alongside Penticton’s Kiwanis Walking Pier, which has been heavily damaged by wind-driven waves off a flooded Okanagan Lake -Photo courtesy Peter Weeber

The Kiwanis Walking Pier received further damage from waves whipped up by the windstorm Saturday afternoon.

The pier has been closed since it received heavy damage wind-driven waves in a storm in May. Okanagan Lake is considerably higher, and the June 10 windstorm again drove high waves against the pier.

More: City prepared to wait out Mother Nature

The last 60 feet of the pier is floating and appears to have become detached from the piles in few spots, according to Peter Weeber, Penticton’s chief administrative officer.

“Visual inspection this morning revealed main timbers are sitting 1.5 inches above piles in spots,” said Weeber in an email. “It seems to be holding together at this time. Guy wires were loose on the navigational light from the wave action they have been re-tightened.”

Weeber said most sandbagged areas along the lakeshore held but there were spots needing sandbags replaced, which is being handled by fire crews. Loose sandbags will be removed, and monitoring by Penticton parks staff will continue.

A small stretch of the Okanagan Lake walkway near the pines was underwater but was drained on Saturday by public works crews. Another section of the walkway, near Pier Watersports, is closed because of debris driven up out of the lake. That is expected to be cleaned up Monday.


Steve Kidd
Senior reporter, Penticton Western News
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