Drivers along Highway 97 in Summerland, B.C., faced another scare Monday evening after a rockfall sent debris crashing onto the road, shutting down the highway for about an hour and creating lengthy delays.
For Penticton resident Kandace Sztepanacz, the incident felt all too familiar.
“It wasn’t a shock, it was more like, ‘OK, when is the next big one going to happen?’” she said.
One vehicle was struck by a large rock, but no injuries were reported. The slide happened just south of the area where crews are still stabilizing the slope following a significant 2023 rockslide.
BC Conservative MLA for West Kelowna–Peachland Macklin McCall says the latest incident underscores ongoing safety concerns.
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“It’s a public safety issue,” he said. “People aren’t upset because construction is inconvenient, they just want it fixed and to make sure everyone in the Okanagan is safe.”
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Some motorists reported seeing vehicles dodge falling rocks, adding to the anxiety for regular commuters. Sztepanacz says the repeated closures are making her increasingly uneasy.
“It makes me nervous, all of it. Not just the slides, but the fires, the accidents, the constant closures,” she said.
That stretch of highway has been shut down multiple times over the past few years, often forcing residents to detour onto the unpaved Forest Service Road 201. Sztepanacz has now written her second letter to the province, urging the government to explore a safer alternative route.
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“It’s very frustrating, the constant closures and the lack of concern around finding another way for residents in the Okanagan to get around,” she said.
In a statement, the Ministry of Transportation said Monday’s rockfall was not connected to the North Beach slide and described it as minor, noting one of the rocks was about the size of a microwave.
Geotechnical engineers reviewed the site and attributed the fall to seasonal freeze-thaw conditions. All lanes have since reopened and debris is cleared.
McCall disagrees with the characterization.
“Someone’s vehicle was absolutely hit,” he said. “If that rock hit in the wrong spot, it could have been fatal. I don’t see this as minor.”
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Stabilization work at the North Beach slide site is expected to continue until 2027.
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