Updated –

A short lived closure at McArthur Island because of bear and two cubs this afternoon.

Bylaw Services Supervisor Tammy Blundell says the bears moved on without any intervention, a short while after the city had to close the park for public safety.

She says the bear cubs were at the park for most of the day today but the mother bear came by in the afternoon.

“By the time everybody was able to get off of the vicinity, the bears just decided that they’re going to move along and they entered the slew near the butterfly garden and then headed their way towards the river, under the west bend by the old golf course,” she said.

Blundell says the closure lasted less than an hour between 4:15 p.m. and 5 p.m., adding there’s wasn’t any time to cancel planned events at Mac Island.

She says a few people were impacted by some delays.

“We wanted to notify because we knew it was probably going to be a short lived closure,” Blundell added.

When I had driven by, there was a few groups that were waiting outside of the park because we knew it was close to reopening. So they just lingered around and waited until they got the go ahead to enter the park again.”

Original – 

The City of Kamloops says McArthur Island Park is being temporarily closed due to bears in the area.

Three bears—a mother with two bear cubs are currently in the area, and the city is acting on recommendations of the BC Conservation Office and closing the park entrances as well as the walking bridge.

“The mother has shown aggressive signs of behavior,” said Tammy Blundell, the city’s Bylaw Services Supervisor in a release. “For the safety of the public and the three bears, the park will remain closed until the bears have moved on.”

Blundell says the City is apologizing for any inconvenience the closures may cause.