Photo: Contributed

Several roads and beaches will be closed next week to make way for the annual Center of Gravity festival.

The three-day festival runs from Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 10 in City Park and along the shores of Okanagan Lake.

Center of Gravity is in its ninth year, but this is the first year it will be held on this weekend. 

The event was previously held during the August long weekend, but security concerns and the fact the city was already busy prompted the festival to move to the weekend prior in 2014.

After two years of dwindling crowds, due in part to a glut of other festivals on the same weekend, COG settled on the weekend following Canada Day.

Due to COG, public access to City Park will be restricted from Friday, July 8 until Sunday, July 10.

The public washrooms, water park, skateboard park, tennis courts and a portion of Hot Sands Beach will remain open and accessible to the public. Concerts will end nightly at 11 p.m.

Additional closures and restrictions will be in place to accommodate the event:

Beach volleyball courts, basketball court, sports field and a portion of Hot Sands Beach at City Park

• Full closure from Wednesday, July 6 to Tuesday, July 12.

City Park lakefront promenade (south end)

• Walkway within the event will be closed to the public from July 6 to July 11. Pedestrians are asked to detour around the event using the walkway which runs from the park tunnel, along the south end of the park to Abbott Street. The pedestrian tunnel will remain open.

City Park parking lot

• Partial closure from July 5 to 12
• Full closure from July 6 to 11

Abbott Street on-street parking between Bernard and Leon Avenues

• Restricted parking on the west side of Abbott Street, from July 8-10 to accommodate tour and shuttle bus service for the event.

Abbott Street between Bernard and Leon Avenues, and Bernard Avenue between Abbott and Water Streets

• Nightly road closure from July 8-10 from 9:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to accommodate ticket holders exiting City Park.
• RCMP will be on site to manage traffic flow.

Abbott neighbourhood parking restrictions

• Twenty-four hour on-street parking restrictions will be implemented in the Abbott neighbourhood (Highway 97 south to Park Avenue & west of Water Street to the lake) as well as Knox Crescent and all of Beach Avenue starting Thursday, July 8 until Monday, July 11. On street parking will be available to valid Resident and Visitor Permit holders only. Ticket and towing will be enforced during this time period.

Shuttle bus service will be available for festival ticket holders with stops along Highway 97 at major hotel areas.

BC Transit service may have minor disruptions and traffic delays may occur due to road closures. Motorists are advised to plan ahead to avoid delay.