Residents of the Joe Rich area east of Kelowna, B.C., oppose a sand, rock and gravel quarry proposed for their rural community, saying the 40-year project could pose health and safety risks for nearby residents.
June 09, 2021 - 8:00 AM A recently announced gravel pit proposed for the Joe Rich area east of Kelowna has galvanized that community more than any other in 30 years of living there, says resident Laurie Takoff. Dozens of dump trucks a day could pull out of the pit onto Highway 33 and it could supply about 10 per cent of the Central Okanagan’s annual gravel needs for the next 20 to 40 years. That can make it cheaper to build roads and concrete structures in the region, being that it’s only about 15 minutes from Costco. But it could also wreak havoc on Mission Creek, she says, the largest single source of water in Okanagan Lake and a major supplier of thousands of Black Mountain Irrigation District customers.