City Park safety questioned

Photo: Alanna Kelly

City Park in Kelowna on June 11, 2018.

A mother says she was at the park with her 11-week-old baby and three other mothers, when a stranger harassed them and made them feel unsafe. 

In just two weeks, numerous people have contacted Castanet about problems in Kelowna’s City Park.

“A woman in a black dress came over because my baby was crying,” said Kristi Avery. “She came closer and asked to touch the baby, while reaching for him with a crack pipe in her hand.”

She says she was unable to move because her child was on her lap, but her friends managed to get the woman away.

“She continued to scream at us as she left,” said Avery. "It was horrible."

What was most upsetting for the mother was police were nearby, but had their windows up and could not hear the screams.

“A possible improvement to the safety issue in the park could be a regular foot or bicycle patrol by police,” she said.

The mother added until things improve she won’t be visiting the park again.

This comes on the heels of an alleged death threat that was uttered to two children while at the park and another alleged incident where a mother claims a man was inappropriately touching himself while staring at her daughter exit Okanagan Lake.