It’s early in the season, but some dissension is already taking place at the site of the former Farmworkers Campground just outside of Keremeos.
“There are rumblings at the former Farmworkers Campground,” Keremeos resident Wayne Poloway, expressed to the Review on Friday.
Several boulders that were placed on the Great Northern Trail entrance to the dike area were moved out of the way recently to allow vehicle access to the area favoured by itinerant farmworkers.
The boulders were placed last fall to prevent vehicle access and discourage campers from setting up in the area that at one time had been sanctioned for use by farmworkers. The site has not had campground status for two years, but visiting farmworkers continue to use the site.
Poloway said the mayor was involved in discussions at the site on May 16. He said police had attended the scene on Thursday, May 15 as well.
Police were unavailable for comment Friday afternoon.
The camping area is on a Similkameen River floodplain prone to seasonal flooding. The river has risen considerably this week, with rain in the forecast for the weekend and a return to warmer weather next week, creating a potential safety issue for unsuspecting tenters using the flats.