Image Credit: Facebook / Merlin Blackwell

By James Peters

Road Washout

Mayor says temporary road fix would throw a lifeline to Clearwater tourism sector

Jul 22, 2020 | 12:49 PM

CLEARWATER, B.C. — The Mayor of Clearwater hopes an offer to repair a road put forward by a pair of local companies can avoid government red tape.

The road in question lies parallel to the Clearwater River and was heavily damaged by a washout from the heavy Canada Day rainfall. Merlin Blackwell says a fix is urgent for tourism companies who rely on using it for kayaking, fly-fishing and whitewater rafting.

“You can see a dozen or so cars going up there, even on the worst days, and two- or three-dozen going up on the best days — as well as 10 to 15 rafts a day, full of tourists who use this area,” Blackwell told CFJC Today. “It’s a pretty important part of the Clearwater economy and it’s one of the most beautiful places in the accessible parts of Wells Gray Park.”

Dale Miller Logging and Wadlegger Logging and Construction have volunteered to build a temporary fix to allow tourism companies to regain access to the river.

“My understanding is that technical people from within [the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development] have gone and looked at the road and we’re kind of hoping it sticks with them because they have the knowledge and the contacts and the ability in house to plan and repair this,” said Blackwell. “B.C. Parks, although it is their jurisdiction, generally does not have that knowledge in house.”

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Ironically, while the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into many government processes, Blackwell says it could help fast-track a fix to this road.

“We’re hoping the red tape can be avoided on this. We’ve seen a lot of silos break open under COVID-19,” said Blackwell. “This is fairly dire economically — especially for the companies involved but for the greater Clearwater tourism economy.”

Blackwell estimates a temporary fix for the road could cost upwards of $100,000, highlighting the generosity of the fix offer. He adds it would allow the government to go through its normal channels to focus on a permanent fix in time for next year.

“We need to fill in those gaps for those companies that are really suffering and are very seasonal,” he said. “Most of these companies will not see another paycheque, if this washout doesn’t get fixed this year, until August or July of next year. That is a little bit too much to bear, I think. We need to help them out, help their employees out and help out all the other services and accomodations that depend on them operating.”