The waterfalls trail through Centennial Park was closed to the public on Aug. 13 and will remain closed until Sept. 30, while the trail is upgraded and the two bridges are replaced.
The contract has been awarded to Bree Contracting Ltd. of 100 Mile House.
District of 100 Mile House operations director Garry Laursen says the existing main trail, which is above the falls and behind the hospital, will be recapped, widened and generally improved from the top half to two-thirds of the way down the hill.
The more intensive trail improvements will take place where it becomes muddy, with water seeping out of the ground and running over part of the trail surface.
Laursen says this area has to be ditched and culverted for a general drainage and trail improvement.
District operations supervisor Kevin Dicken explains they will be using geotextile fabric in the trail upgrade to help support the new construction materials and keep them in place to improve the longevity of the trail surface.
Noting the water will eventually drain into the creek as it does now, Laursen says the runoff or seepage water will drain through a rock-filtering system and then flow into the creek.
Laursen says the district got some grant money on an 80-20 split through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development’s Community Recreation Program.
Contractor Trevor Embree says the trail has to be closed for safety reasons.
He adds they will be starting at the top of the hill and working their way down because both bridges leading to, and in front of, the falls are still be constructed.
“We won’t see the bridges for quite a while yet. The trail work will be long done before the bridges arrive.”
When the bridges, which are being constructed in New Westminster, do arrive, Embree says they will insert them by helicopter.
“It should be an interesting sight with the big bridges suspended by a helicopter over 100 Mile. That’s not something you see in 100 Mile everyday.”
He adds there will be a lot of logistical arrangements that have to be made to accomplish that feat.