Roads and bridges washed out by flood and storm damage in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park are beginning to be repaired.
B.C. Parks is hiring project managers to repair and replace all damaged and destroyed facilities in South Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.
“The first contract will go to replacing the washed-out bridge at Young Creek on the historic Tote Road,” says Wes Dearmond, area supervisor for South Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.
The park remains open to visitors and work will begin later this month with no disruptions to day-use or camping activities.
“Project managers will also be hired to complete repairs to the hiking trail and suspension bridge to Hunlen Falls and the Turner Lake Canoe Chain,” Dearmond adds.
Visitors to the park will not have access to Tote Road until September, and repairs to the trail and suspension bridge access to Hunlen Falls will not be completed until spring 2013.
“Other damaged facilities will be assessed and have engineering repair designs completed by this fall and works are expected to begin in the spring of 2013,” Dearmond says.
Each year the park normally received between 15,000 to 20,000 visitors, with most visitors arriving via Highway 20.
It’s the backcountry areas of the park that see less use. Historically the park has received flood damage because of spring freshet and fall flooding, both common occurrences in the Bella Coola Valley, although Dearmond adds the park is also prone to coastal floods given its geographic proximity to coastal weather systems, and the recent beetle kill and fire damaged forest in the high ridges and plateaus.