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Kelowna mom concerned with needles found at Knox Mountain Park

Maria Beinarowitz, who has a five-year-old son, said shesa国际传媒檚 noticed a fair amount at the Kelowna park
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(David Maialetti/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, File)

A Kelowna mom has noticed a significant number of discarded needles near Knox Mountain Park.

Maria Beinarowitz, an employee at Bread Co., said her business doesnsa国际传媒檛 have a needle disposal box, and they havensa国际传媒檛 had problems with discarded needles at the bakery as they have a downtown patrol.

However, living close to the downtown area near Knox Mountain, shesa国际传媒檚 noticed a fair amount of needles in the park and at the beach.

sa国际传媒淕o Sunday morning to the park and you notice needles. Theysa国际传媒檙e everywhere along the beach, in the grass,sa国际传媒 Beinarowitz said.

With a five-year-old son, she said itsa国际传媒檚 concerning, though acknowledged the park has been better this year than in the past.

READ MORE: sa国际传媒楥all for needle pickupsa国际传媒 becoming routine

A fair amount of garbage is left in the park as well, she said, and the beach needs a good combing through.

According to the City of Kelownasa国际传媒檚 needle park services, the number of needles found has fluctuated since 2014.

The highest amount was in 2017, with 1,602 in March alone. In 2016, Kelowna saw the most amount of needles collected per month on average.

For 2018, December had 211 needles found sa国际传媒 a drop from previous months. The highest amount is in the spring and summer months.

READ MORE: Interior Health against needle buyback programs

Interior Health has said there are multiple factors as to why needle pick-up numbers fluctuate.

Tom Wilson, communications officer with the City of Kelowna, said staff could not comment on why certain times of the year more needles are collected.

READ MORE: Okanagan pharmacy buying back used needles

READ MORE: Okanagan restaurant employees threatened with contaminated needle

READ MORE: Kelowna business owner sees no cause for fears of street population


carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com

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