After a Kelowna mother’s son was nearly hit by a vehicle during Bike to School Week, she is calling on the city to make changes to a Kettle Valley crosswalk.
Karen Ockelton said the crosswalk, located on Chute Lake Road in-between Mountainside Drive and Lakepointe Drive, is well known among moms in the area as overgrown vegetation near the crosswalk forces kids to step onto the road.
“It’s kind of on a hill, so when you’re coming from one direction you don’t see it until it’s too late to stop. And on the other side, it’s completely blind,” she said, adding the overgrown vegetation adds to lowered visibility for drivers.
Her son Lachlan, eight, was nearly hit by a vehicle while using the crosswalk Monday, during the first day of Bike to School Week.
She could hear the tires squeal, as she was just around the corner from the crosswalk and “you can see the skid marks on how close of a call that was, and someone isn’t going to be so lucky.”
“A woman who witnessed said it didn’t appear the driver was going fast or texting. He didn’t see him.”
Karen said wrote to the city and the local MLA. She wants the vegetation to be cut down, and for the city to install lights.
She saw the City of Kelowna working in the area earlier this week, replacing the signs, but the city could not be reached for comment.
@carliberry_
carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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