After being closed since November 2021 due to heavy rain and severe flooding, Coquihalla Canyon Park and Othello Tunnels will reopen in phases starting in summer 2024. The province said in a press release that the restoration work, which will happen in two stages to ensure the park’s resilience to climate change, is estimated to cost around $4.5 million.
The restoration work will happen in two phases so people can visit part of the park in early July 2024. The first phase will restore facilities and access from the park entrance and parking lot to the end of tunnel two. The trail will be resurfaced and elevated to prevent similar damage from flooding. The rest of the park is projected to open in 2025.
In November 2021, heavy rain and severe flooding damaged more than 30 sites throughout the park, including all five of the historic Othello Tunnels, which were built in 1914. Bridge foundations and the stability of the canyon slopes above the tunnels were also impacted, increasing the risk of falling rocks. Flooding also eroded local access roads and trails.
The park is located right in our backyard and generates tens of thousands of visitors annually to our area. It played a huge role in the movie First Blood, which was shot in Hope in 1981. Whether you are a fan of John Rambo, a Kettle Valley Railway history buff or just B.C.’s beauty in general, this park has it all. This is welcome news,” said Brian McKinney, team lead of Hope, Cascades and Canyons Visitor Centre and Museum.
The restoration work is being supported by the Government of Canada’s Disaster Financial Assistance Fund, and BC Parks is working with First Nations and archeology and cultural heritage specialists to protect archeological and heritage values during construction.
Victor Smith, Mayor of Hope, welcomed the news and expressed the park’s importance to the community and its visitors. “Council and I welcome the news, as this is an important part of our community that we share with our visitors,” he said. Coquihalla Canyon Park was once part of the historic Kettle Valley Railway route, and the Othello Tunnels were built in 1914 as an engineering feat to create a route through the canyon.
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