Image Credit: Facebook / Darin LeBlanc

By James Peters

Arson Fires

‘We will rebuild’: Kamloops Snowmobile Association frustrated after shelter destroyed by arsonist

Oct 29, 2020 | 12:17 PM

KAMLOOPS — The president of the Kamloops Snowmobile Association (KSA) says there have been some positive developments since the club’s day-use shelter was destroyed by an arsonist this week.

The association’s chalet and base is located about 30 kilometres northwest of Kamloops, above Lac du Bois.

Early Wednesday morning (Oct. 29), a hunter discovered the KSA’s newly-built shelter fully ablaze. Moments before, the same hunter had found a pickup truck belonging to a local logging company completely engulfed in flames.

KSA President Jeff Boyle says the damage was extensive.

“It totaled the truck — the truck is down to a frame — and it totaled a 12-by-20 day-use shelter that we just finished, right to the ground,” Boyle told CFJC Today.

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Image Credit: Facebook / Darin LeBlanc

Boyle says, less than 48 hours after the arsons, RCMP have informed the club they have strong leads in the investigation.

In addition, plans to rebuild the shelter are already underway.

“[We have] already reached out to Tolko with respect to some building materials and it looks, at this point, like they are willing to help us out with material to start to rebuild the shelter,” said Boyle. “We will have a new shelter built by the end of November and ready to go up at the same location.”

This is not the first instance of vandalism and mischief at the KSA chalet, prompting the club to discuss installing enhanced security measures such as trail cameras.

“We’ve had vandalism and we’ve had theft. We’ve got quite a large log cabin and we’ve got a propane system… for our stove. They’ve come by, stolen our 200-pound tanks and regulators. Just done damage to things. But this is definitely the worst we’ve had,” said Boyle. “I know there are multiple (logging) companies who have had vehicles damaged, fuel stolen – the whole gamut.”

KSA maintains about 300 kilometres of snowmobiling trails during the winter months, about 180 kilometres fully groomed. Boyle says many members of KSA own companies or have close ties with companies that can help rebuild the shelter.

“A huge thank-you to the RCMP for doing a great job in the limited time they had to find the vehicle and identify the vehicle that was up there. They did a great job.” And thank-you to corporate Kamloops for stepping up and helping us out to rebuild,” Boyle added. “We will rebuild.”