It was another productive and rewarding summer for the Shuswap Trail Alliance.
With trail construction and maintenance having wrapped up for the season, trail alliance executive director Jen Bellhouse offered an overview of some of the projects completed and works in progress.
At the beginning of October, the trail alliance, the City of Salmon Arm and others celebrated completed improvements at the South Canoe trailhead. Bellhouse said tons of improvements were done there to make it not just a trailhead, but a “vibrant greenspace.”
“We applied for a grant and built a little accessible trail just off the parking lot that loops through the woods, for kids on run bikes ,moms with strollers…,” said Bellhouse. Picnic tables were added, the city put up some fencing, and concrete was poured for the construction of a gazebo that, when completed, will be dedicated to the late Rob Nash.
Trails were connected in the Larch Hills linking three major trail networks.
“Ida View Trail, Larch Hills Traverse and the East Canoe Creek Bridge – that connects the final section of Larch Hills Traverse from South Canoe up to Larch Hills Nordic and to Rubberhead and all the way to Sicamous,” said Bellhouse, adding the bridge was completed through a collaborative effort involving community groups, donations and volunteers.
“We pulled off a $75000 bridge for $35,000 due to people putting in time,” said Bellhouse. “It’s an equestrian bridge so standards are a little higher – because horses are heavy.”
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District contracted the trail alliance to build an accessible, universal trail at Sorrento-Blind Bay Park.
East of Sicamous, trail alliance crews worked on the Eagle Pass Mountain Trail, completing drainage and tread improvements. Bellhouse said a new outhouse was ordered for the trailhead, and is to be installed next spring.
The trail alliance also worked on replacing the worn boardwalk trail leading to the historic Mara Mountain fire lookout.
“It was the original pack trail that had boardwalk that was 100 years old,” said Bellhouse. “We got a grant to replace all the boardwalk and bridges and repair the trail. We still have one more season of work on it, and when it’s done it will be a really great addition to the trail networks within the Shuswap.”
Read more: Major federal funds for Splatsin to develop rail trail
Read more: Grant funding grows for pilot section of Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail
Bellhouse noted a nice thing about Mara lookout trail is that it’s a relatively easy hike to access the alpine.
One of the big news stories of the summer as far as trails go was the August announcement that the Splatsin First Nation had been awarded a $12.5 million Infrastructure Canada Active Transportation Grant to develop 42.6 kilometres of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail.
“That will do kilometre zero (at Sicamous) to 42.6 at the Stepney Road crossing and, they anticipate tenders will go out in the next couple of months,” said Bellhouse. “In spring, they will start work and early work with be archaeological and environmental assessments.”
Bellhouse said rail trail partners will be applying for BC Active Transportation grant funding to complete the remaining 6.5 kilometres.
“That is the highway crossing at Stepney Road so that will be an expensive piece.”
With 2022 coming to an end, the Shuswap Trail Alliance has launched its membership drive for 2023. Memberships are $20 each and the money goes towards design and construction of new trails, maintenance of existing trails, signage, promotion, training of volunteers and more.
lachlan@saobserver.net
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