Photo: Contributed

Work began this week to mitigate an unstable slope on Kirschner Mountain.

The slope is on residential property on Kloppenburg Court and Loseth Road.

A report earlier this year by a geotechnical consultant indicated the slope poses a risk of landslide, which could affect numerous homes and infrastructure both above and below the property.

City of Kelowna infrastructure director Alan Newcombe says work began on mitigating the slope Monday. He expects the work to take a few weeks.

"We have a contractor on site. The plan is to build a couple of retaining walls," said Newcombe.

"We need a retaining wall at the bottom to preserve some yard for the one house at the bottom. There will be a retaining wall near the top to retain the soil around the pump station. That will provide some stable soil there and the bottom."

The slope between the retaining walls will be graded. "There will still be a slope, but it will be gentler than it is now," he said.

The work could cost up to $1.2 million, a financial burden that will be placed on the two homeowners.

Both have indicated they are in no position to pay for the work and say the problem was initiated by previous landowners.

Newcombe says nothing has changed in that regard, but the work has to be done.

The city will pay and go after the property owners for the cost. 

The current owners would have the ability to go after previous owners for reimbursement.