Running out of drinking water on a typical summer day is bad news. Running out of water during the crazy current heat wave is worse.
Fortunately, there is relief. Today, the City of Penticton announced that air-conditioned facilities such as the SOEC, the library, the Seniors' Drop-In Centre and even City Hall are available for anyone needing relief from the record-breaking temperatures.
On top of that, they'll hand out freebie bottles of H2O too.
According to City rep Anthony Haddad, there is no time limit on stays, though anyone taking advantage of the offer, which will continue through to July 2, must obey current COVID protocols (mandatory mask, social distancing).
In addition, bylaw officers across Penticton are also carrying supplies of bottled water that they'll give away to those who need them.
But what if you're caught flat-footed in the great outdoors? What if you're on your bike or on the job and you've already downed all the water in your bottle?
Turns out Penticton has you covered there too with a series of water bottle filling stations spread throughout the city. They're completely free to use, and they're available even when there is no heat wave (they run from May through end of September).
Beyond that, they help curb the proliferation of single-use bottles. If you have one, you can refill it. If you roll with your own high-end bottle, especially the thermally-insulated variety, even better.
One thing though. The City map directing you to the stations is just a wee bit vague. For example, it'll tell you there's one at Munson Mountain. There isn't. But it's not far away.
So we checked out the situation ourselves to give you a better idea where they're located. Here then from south to north, is our accurate bottle filling station finder.
This is one of the slick new stations that looks more like a piece of public art than a tool for refilling your bottle. But that's exactly what it does.
You'll find it 20 meters or so to the east of the volleyball courts, alongside the promenade.
2965 South Main St.
This one's a bit more industrial -- essentially a faucet attached to a thick slab of black metal. But it gets the job done. In fact, it pumps out water at a faster clip than its Skaha equivalent.
But don't expect to find it at the Seniors' Centre front door. Instead, it's directly adjacent to the Main Street bus stop to the northeast of the centre, near the pickleball courts. Awesome positioning for those who ride the bus. Or play pickleball.
186 Dunant Pl.
It definitely won't win any beauty contests -- it's essentially a length of exposed pipe strapped to a pillar, topped by an old-school faucet -- but the Dunant station is certainly the nearest oasis for anyone recreating on the trails directly east of the city.
It's located just inside the main gate of one of Penticton's lesser known parks.
Like its Skaha Lake Park counterpart, the refill station on Main Street is sleek and modern and designed for easy operation.
However, we had a tough time finding it. The City map labels it simply as "Main Street," which leaves a lot of room for interpretation.
We finally came across it, in the middle of the 300 block on the west side of the street. It's just outside Mike's Pawnbrokers and across the street from Cue's Gameroom and the new Wild Ginger restaurant.
A combination bottle refill station and drinking fountain (two actually -- one for adults and the other for wee little tykes), this one has it all.
It's conveniently tucked behind the Peace Ice Cream Shop, by the public washrooms.
630 Munson Mountain Rd.
A modern bottle refill station that's perfectly positioned where there are few alternatives.
But if you went by the City map, which says simply "Munson Mountain," you'd likely never find it. We've been hiking Munson for years and didn't even know it existed.
To access it, you jump onto Munson Mountain Road like you're headed to the parking lot, then proceed straight ahead where you'd normally turn left up the hill. You'll quickly find yourself at the Penticton BMX track, where you'll see the station just to the left of the clubhouse.
Bonus: Just a few meters away is a bike pump and repair station.
The best (and only?) spot for trailside water bottle refills as you run/bike/walk the KVR, the Polar Grove station (where the KVR crosses Naramata Road, just south of Hillside Winery) is welcome respite for parched travelers.
The adjacent bike pump and repair station only adds to its awesomeness.
Apart from water bottle filling stations, there are two dog park water taps in the city -- one at Dartmouth Dog Park (2100 Dartmouth Road) and the other at Ellis Creek Dog Park (100 Industrial Place).
While both are just fine for Fido, we wouldn't recommend human consumption due to the close proximity of the hoses to the ground. And we're talking dog parks here, so you just know the ground is extra grubby.
The heat wave won't crack for another week, and Tuesday and Wednesday appear to be the worst of the bunch. Stay hydrated.
