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Tennis court concrete removed, trees pruned in Salmon Arm on soccer fields

People camping on the School District 83 property were informed week before about upcoming work
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Work removing the old tennis court concrete as well as pruning trees on School District 83 property at the north end of the soccer fields off Third Street SW nearest the Trans-Canada Highway was ongoing on Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2022. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

Change is visible on the soccer fields across from Centenoka Park Mall in Salmon Arm, but it’s mostly maintenance, says the school district.

As of Oct. 26, trees in and around School District 83’s portion of the fields – the northern part nearest the Trans-Canada Highway – have been trimmed or are being trimmed back and branches removed.

Travis Elwood, director of operations for the school district, said the trees were being pruned so crews can get back to doing regular maintenance on them.

Also, the concrete from a former tennis court was being torn up and removed, so grass can be planted there.

The week prior to the work, a tent-to-tent visit was done to let anybody who was camping there know that the work would be starting Monday, Oct. 24.

Prior to the pruning, Okanagan Restoration, which is hazmat-certified, was hired to clean up any waste or discarded garbage in the area.

RCMP and Salvation Army staff also came by to assist anyone who needed help moving. The moving was required for safety reasons.

“You don’t want branches falling on tents,” said Alice Hucul, school district communications.

No word yet regarding a shelter opening for people in Salmon Arm who are without homes.

Read more: Kitchen fire in Salmon Arm building quickly extinguished, residents evacuated

Read more: As temperatures drop, no word yet on search for year-round shelter in Salmon Arm



martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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Martha Wickett

About the Author: Martha Wickett

came to Salmon Arm in May of 2004 to work at the Observer. I was looking for a change from the hustle and bustle of the Lower Mainland, where I had spent more than a decade working in community newspapers.
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