Efforts are underway to see if the Sicamous portion of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail can be built this year.
The Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) announced Thursday, April 18, that a recent rezoning decision by District of Sicamous council clears the way for development of the section of the trail between Kilometre 0.5 and Kilometre 1.5 along the west side of Sicamous Narrows.
“We are already going over our construction plans to see how we can get this done. If we can do it this year, we will do it this year,” commented Gabe Nava, project construction manager for Splatsin Development Corporation’s Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land), in an April 18 CSRD media release.
The CSRD and its fellow rail trail ownership partners, Splatsin té Secwépemc and the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) were thrilled with Sicamous council’s reconsideration of Zoning Amendment Bylaw 1044, which council initially defeated in a 4-3 vote. Following that Feb. 14 decision, the CSRD announced work on the rail trail would begin from kilometre 3.5, and move southward along Mara Lake.
Sicamous Mayor Colleen Anderson brought the bylaw to rezone land along the trail from R1 residential to P3 parks, back to council and a public hearing took place on April 10, after which council voted unanimously in support.
“The ownership partners are also grateful for the outpouring of support for the project from numerous residents in the area which ultimately led to the reconsideration of the zoning application,” said the CSRD, noting the “quick timing on the District of Sicamous rezoning decision, relatively early in the construction season,” increases the chance of the Sicamous portion of trail being added to the 2024 construction schedule.
The CSRD explained the first half kilometre of the rail trail is linked to work being done by the B.C. government to replace the Bruhn Bridge, “so the ownership partners have agreed to delay construction on this segment at this time.”
When complete, the rail trail will be a 50-kilometre non-motorized corridor for recreational walking and cycling between Sicamous and Armstrong.
Read more: Rail trail rezoning gets unanimous approval from Sicamous council
Read more: Public push gets Sicamous council on track to re-visit rail trail decision