Rusty old cars getting a pricey tow from Okanagan Lake in Vernon

VERNON – The City of Vernon is cleaning up its backyard and it isn't cheap.

Several derelict cars rusting away on the shores of Okanagan Lake are finally being removed at an estimated cost of $6,000.

From a viewpoint pullout in the 9200 block of Eastside Road, pieces of old cars can be seen at the base of a steep embankment. The lakefront property itself is city-owned, and considered to be a lake access site.

The shoreline area can only be accessed by boat due to the extremely steep terrain.

It’s believed the cars have been sitting there for more than 20 years, and Coun. Brian Quiring feels getting rid of them is long overdue.

“I live on the lake and I drive my boat all along the lakefront,” Quiring says. “They can’t just stay there.”

A local company has given the city a $6,000 estimate for the removal, which may include a barge and a crane.

Quiring believes the cost is justified.

“If someone had them (cars) in their yard, bylaw would be all over it, and here we have a city property. We need to lead by example,” Quiring says.

Some of the large metal chunks are partially submerged, however Quiring says there are no concerns about safety for passing boats or kayakers pulling up on the shoreline.

“It’s purely aesthetic,” he says.

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