A proposed 50-kilometre rail trail from Sicamous to Armstrong took another step forward this week.
On Friday, the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) and the Regional District of the North Okanagan (RDNO) jointly announced that a $500,000 grant had been awarded to advance the project to the design phase. The funding came from the B.C. Rural Dividend Grant.
“I’m ecstatic,” said CSRD board chair and Electoral Area E Director Rhona Martin. “This is what we need. This will build the foundation for moving this project forward.
“We have a great team ready to go and I’m just thrilled the B.C. Rural Dividend Program saw fit to recognize the tremendous value this project will bring to our rural communities.”
According to the CSRD, the proposed 50-kilometre trail would run along the west side of Mara Lake, through portions of the rail corridor previously purchased by Splatsin First Nation and span the communities of Sicamous, Grindrod, Enderby, Spallumcheen and Armstrong.
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At this time, the rail trail remains closed to the public.
The grant funds will be reportedly used to hire a project manager, conduct environmental impact assessments, First Nations archeological and cultural reviews, consulting with the agricultural community and developing engineering designs.
The CSRD also said lease updates, dock and access agreements with adjacent property owners, as well as planning work involving the regional districts, municipalities and provincial ministries are also in the works.
The regional district added that to secure the grant, it had to previously commit funds to the project. The CSRD said in August of 2018, it approved $168,000 from the Sicamous and Area E Economic Opportunity Fund towards the rail trail, with the District of Sicamous matching that amount.
Once the design and planning has been completed, the rail trail will move to the development and construction phase. The CSRD noted, though, that this is dependent on future provincial and federal funding.
The CSRD said if a federal grant application is successful, construction could start in 2020 and take approximately two years to complete.
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