A section of the Cowichan Valley Trail that has been closed since a washout in 2021 is being rebuilt with funding from the B.C. Provincial Disaster Financial Assistance Program.
The 40-metre section between Agira Road and Sherman Road in Duncan was damaged during heavy rains in November 2021, as was a major culvert over Bings Creek.
The deluge also unearthed Telus fibre-optic cables and a City of Duncan water line.
Funding from the provincial program for repairs up to $848,575 was confirmed last July for both the trail and the culvert.
Local contractor Cutting Edge Enterprises has been contracted by the Cowichan Valley Regional District to do the work, which will be under the guidance of an environmental monitor and is expected to be complete later in the year.
Phase 1 will involve the fabrication and installation of a seven-metre-wide culvert over the creek, followed by building up the land that was washed away.
“The extensive damage to our parks and trails during the significant atmospheric-river event in 2021 was unprecedented,” said Ladysmith Mayor Aaron Stone, who chairs the CVRD board.
“Thanks to the efforts of our parks and trails staff and the support of the province, we’ve secured the required funding and implemented the action plan to fix this important section of the Cowichan Valley Trail.”
A bypass of the damaged trail section remains in place along Agira Road and Skinner Road.
>>> To comment on this article, write a letter to the editor: [email protected]
