The district may soon be putting a lid on bear attractants in Old Town.
Sicamous council has directed staff to look into the cost of replacing two existing waste containers in the Old Town development site with bear-proof bins. As Coun. Gord Bushell explained, the current bins are doing a good job of attracting bears but not keeping them out.
“I spend a lot of time walking out in Old Town Bay and the odd time I see a bear running across the road, and there’s two garbage containers out in Old Town Bay and they’re always either broken or the tops ripped off of them are there’s garbage all around them from bears or dogs,” said Bushell.
Council noted Old Town Bay is currently being used by campers, houseboaters and others, and the garbage cans are being well used.
“I think, because of the excess traffic out there, we have to put forth a resolution to direct staff to look into the cost,” said Coun. Jeff Mallmes. “Not the cheapest bear-proof bins, the ones that actually work…”
Recently, a Saskatchewan woman camping in Old Town ran into one of the bears. Sicamous resident Kelly Dick was flagged down by the terrified woman, and drove her back to her campsite. While on route, they spotted the bear loitering around a litter barrel.
“We didn’t get far into the Old Town gates there, when we spotted the little bugger with his head stuck in the garbage can, scrounging around for something to eat,” Dick told the News. “Not sure why there isn’t any bear-safe refuse containers out there instead of these ones that the bears are able to access.”