With the start date fast approaching, operations manager Darrell Symbaluk provided a project update to council.
At the Jan. 24 Committee of the Whole meeting, he and project manager Gabe Nava from the Splatsin Development Corporation went over some of the details now that the design is completed for the stretch from the 0.5 kilometre mark to 3.5km.
Symbaluk explained that two large sections of the trail will need to be built up by about a foot, which will affect approximately 17 docks that will need to be adapted to the new elevation, with Riverside Docks having designed a hinge system to accommodate that. He added that the surface will be done with three inch minus, a road base with finer material that Symbaluk described as “kind of a unique mix, I call it trail mix,” that will provide a nice smooth finish.
Nava said his crews are ready to go, and will start construction in March, depending on weather, and will take about two months build, though completion of the fully finished product isn’t anticipated until 2025. At that time, based on previously completed sections of the Okanagan trail, it’s anticipated to have 100,000 users.
“So it’s going to be used in a big, big way,” Symbaluk said. “That is the end goal, is to get people into Sicamous.”
Nava, who worked on the Enderby pilot section that was completed in early December, said that it has been very well received.
“We had the ability last year to build a two-kilometre section of the rail trail and it was actually very successful work,” he told council. “Everybody was super pleased in the City of Enderby, so we’re super excited to get this area constructed and going.”
There are still some details to be worked out, including rezoning and providing parking as the path won’t be connected to town yet, but will join up with the new Bruhn Bridge once it gets built. Rezoning is scheduled for the Feb. 14 council meeting, with a public hearing taking place at that time as well.
Though there has been some challenges getting to this point, Mayor Colleen Anderson is looking forward to finally getting it done.
“This is very exciting for our community because it is an economic driver, and a lot of tourism that will be coming to our town.”
Read more: Enderby-Splatsin rail trail construction phase completed
Read more: ‘What’s up dock’: Questions loom over rail trail access in Sicamous