The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary isn’t impressed with a letter it received from the provincial government on the future of the Columbia & Western rail trail.
The letter, dated Dec. 1 from Lori Halls, the deputy minister of water, land and resource stewardship, says the province “recognizes the scenic and recreational value … as well as its economic, cultural and historic importance” of the trail between Castlegar and Christina Lake. But in the same paragraph, Halls adds that the province has no plans to change its mind and maintain the old rail grade.
The rail corridor lost its designation as a recreational trail 2020. By the province’s reckoning, it reverted at that time to wilderness status, with no funding available for maintenance.
Halls says that because it was never a logging road, the corridor isn’t eligible for money beyond emergencies. The provincial government will respond to environmental concerns or safety problems, but won’t repair the trail itself.
Halls says the province will get more information about unspecified “structures” on the rail trail and decide on “future use, remediation measures, and/or deactivation of structures or sections of the rail grade.” The trail has several trestles and tunnels.
The trail remains open to the public. Halls said anyone who wants tenure over the railbed can apply for it. “Currently, the province is unable to fund or manage the [trail],” Halls wrote. “In recognition of the value and interest raised by local users, the province is open to receiving and adjudicating applications for authorized uses.”
Christina Lake director and board chair Grace McGregor said she wasn’t happy with the answer and would like to see a resolution go to the Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments and the Union of BC Municipalities.
Area B director Linda Worley said she has been working on the issue with former RDCK Area J director Rick Smith.
“The trail has never been just about the money that Area B residents have put into this for the kiosks, the bathrooms, the back country signage and all this that goes along with it,” she said.
“This is about history. This would be denying people their right to access historical points. And I feel that this is a big issue.
“It’s also about the hundreds or thousands of hours of in-kind work that’s been done by not only residents, volunteer trails people, but also by people with large companies who’ve given their time, their product, their machinery to work on this trail.”
The Columbia and Western Railway was built in 1898-99 and operated until 1990. The CPR donated the line to the provincial government in 2000 to be part of the Trans-Canada Trail.
