Traffic was closed between Sicamous and Revelstoke for much of Saturday following a fatal three vehicle crash on Highway 1 Saturday afternoon.
Hotels in the city were all booked up, leaving many travelling back to B.C. after Christmas wondering where to spend the night.
People in Revelstoke worked to accommodate hundreds of travellers who had nowhere to go after a crash that closed Highway 1.
The Revelstoke Chamber of Commerce led the effort to make sure everyone had a place to sleep.
“We’re helping as many people as we can,” says Judy Goodman, their executive director. “We’ve got about 60 to 70 parties that are so far contacted us for accommodation. We’ve found about 15 families who have opened up their homes to date.”
Goodman said that families with young children are their first priority, but a local church was also open. She was heartened by the warm response from residents who have opened their homes to strangers.
“It’s that kind of community. Bottom line is, we’ll have a warm place for people.”
(People stuck in Revelstoke can contact the Chamber of Commerce at 250-837-5345 for assistance.)
The news came as relief to Cheryl Oberg, who was trying to get with her husband to the Shuswap to celebrate New Year’s Eve.
“Everybody is just sitting in their vehicle, there’s no place to get a coffee, all the restaurants are closed. It’s gridlock like you would see in Vancouver and Calgary,” she said.
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