Motorcycle, massive tire among garbage pulled from Peachland ravine during cleanup
Global News
A motorcycle, a front-end loader tire weighing 1,000 pounds were among the things volunteers pulled Saturday from a ravine in Peachland during the annual cleanup.
For the sixth year in a row, volunteers gathered in Peachland to help clean up the local watershed.
What they yanked out of a steep ravine on Saturday morning, though, was surprising — even to them.
“We just pulled up a motorcycle, a front-end loader tire. There are five or six vehicles we’re going to have to attempt to pull,” said Kane Blake of the Okanagan Forest Task Force.
The task force teamed up with the Peachland Watershed Protection Alliance to haul out garbage dumped by others. In all, about 40 people volunteered their time.
“We’re trying to protect the quality of water going into our water treatment plant by removing garbage from the watershed,” said Judy Wyper of the alliance.
Saturday’s cleanup involved several organizations: the regional district, which provided vests, bags and gloves; the Peachland Fire Department, which sent volunteers; the Lions Club, which fired up a barbecue; and ABC Recycling, which donated heavy equipment.
“People are using the bush as a garbage dump,” said Wyper as a washer and dryer were collected from the site. “It boggles the mind.”
The motorbike was around 150 feet down the steep ravine. The vehicles? Kane estimates them to be between 700 and 800 feet down.