A handful of young people were still at a bush party site near the end of Trepanier Road at 3 p.m. Wednesday, including a young man sleeping beside a car. (Dave Preston photo)

by Dave Preston

West Kelowna RCMP nailed some youth Tuesday night and Wednesday during and after a year end bush party near Peachland.

Cops aren’t sure if the party had anything to do with any annual graduation drunk fest, but youth from Mount Boucherie Senior Seconday School (MBSS) and others partied hard regardless.

Mount Boo students often party up the Bear Creek Forest Service Road, up Princeton Avenue at any number of sites or, as in the case Tuesday, near the end of Trepanier Road.

An unknown number of young people went to the party, although S/Sgt. Duncan Dixon said it was “a bunch of kids.”

Some of the youth were Mount Boucherie students, while others were young adults who had graduated in prior years, according to Dixon.

“There was a lot of liquor and drugs,” said Dixon, adding police did confiscate some booze.

Dixon said RCMP set up a road block Tuesday night to prevent anyone from leaving. They also stuck around Wednesday morning and handed out a number of 12-hour suspensions to not-quite-sober partiers.

“The school wouldn’t sponsor a bush party,” said MBSS Principal John Simonson.

Mount Boucherie students are currently writing provincial exams, according to Simonson.

“We regularly tell parents they should have a conversation with their kids about the wisdom (of parties),” said Simonson. “At some point some people need to wake up.

While parties may seem a right of passage, Simonson said bad things do happen at them, but students aren’t getting the message.

One year ago, 16-year-old Andrew McAdam was stabbed at a bush party attended by students from Penticton Seconday School. McAdam died.

Two years ago, Ashlee Hyatt, also 16, died after being stabbed at a house party on San Clemente Avenue in Peachland.

“I don’t know why people don’t get it,” said Simonson.

Castanet.net is reporting that Okanagan-Mission Secondary students also held a year end party Tuesday night, trashing a campsite on Chute Lake Road in the process.