Hotel staff in Tofino were working double duty Wednesday letting incoming guests know that — once again — they may face delays getting to the resort community by road.
“We’re getting good at hitting the curve balls the highway has thrown at us,” said Charles McDiarmid of the Wickaninnish Inn.
Tofino and Ucluelet are at the peak of their summer seasons, when thousands of tourists from around the world typically flock to the area to walk the beaches, surf and hike.
But the only paved road in, Highway 4, was blocked when a June wildfire burned and weakened a cliff face along a narrow stretch hugging Cameron Lake, resulting in rocks and trees dropping onto the highway.
A section of the highway was closed for two weeks with only a rough logging road as a detour route. The highway reopened June 23 to single-lane alternating traffic.
Then, with little warning Tuesday, the Transportation Ministry announced that Highway 4 would be closed again so workers can remove dangerous loose rock fractured by the heat of the fire, along with other debris.
Beginning Monday until mid-August, a two-kilometre section will be closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, with an 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. daily opening for single-lane-alternating traffic. There will be a westbound release at 11:30 a.m. and an eastbound release by 12:30 p.m., the ministry said. Pilot cars will lead traffic through the area.
Three day-use parks will be closed until the highway fully reopens: MacMillan Provincial Park (Cathedral Grove) and the day-use picnic areas of Cameron Lake and Beaufort in Little Qualicum Falls.
There will be no Highway 4 closures on weekends, including the B.C. Day long weekend, the ministry said.
Tofino Mayor Dan Law said the community’s businesses, still reeling from the fire closure, were shocked by the announcement.
“It’s going to hit Tofino very hard, there’s no doubt about that,” Law said. “I think today I’m seeing the business community taking a moment to let it sink in, but we know it’s going to be tough.”
Some hotel reservations are expected to be cancelled, and there will be a trickle-down effect for other businesses, such as restaurants, shops and tour companies as well as those that service and supply them.
“Most businesses understand the highway has to be fixed … it’s just the timing is so unfortunate,” said Law.
He said after the highway reopened to single-lane alternating traffic, there was a lot of hope the summer season would proceed as usual. But the latest closures have left businesses worried, since summer is when many earn most of their revenue.
Law said the hope is that crews can finish the work as quickly as possible.
Business leaders had asked if the daily traffic openings could be extended to four hours to allow more traffic through. But the ministry responded Wednesday saying the work had to be done in daylight hours and in dry conditions.
Hotels such as the Wickaninnish Inn and Hotel Zed in Tofino and Ucluelet’s Black Rock Resort were contacting guests Wednesday to let them know highway closure times, along with alternative travel options such as flights via Harbour Air and Pacific Coastal Airlines.
“Most of our guests are not aware of the new highway plans,” said McDiarmid, noting there hadn’t been any cancellations on Wednesday. “So we’re just trying to get ahead of this.”
He said the inn is advising guests that the detour route via Lake Cowichan is still open, but might not be kind to some vehicles, including rental cars.
Matt Brear, manager at Hotel Zed, said the hotel hadn’t had any cancellations on Wednesday. “The only call I’ve taken is someone saying they’re going to be here no matter what because it’s their birthday,” he said.
Brear said Tofino is used to lane closures, having gone through nearly five years of work on Highway 4 at Kennedy Lake. The $54-million project over a 1.5-kilometre stretch about 18 kilometres from the Ucluelet-Tofino junction was completed earlier this year. During construction, there were long lineups almost every day.
“It’s been a while since we’ve had the luxury of two lanes to Tofino,” said Brear. “Our tourism for the past few years has been built on the back of one lane and there’s still a thriving industry here. “We’ll just roll with it, like we always do.”
Brear admits it’s “terrible timing” in the middle of the summer season and some people might cancel. “But for the most part, people who come here and people who work here are pretty resilient. They’re looking for adventure.”
Heather Riddick, director of sales and marketing at Black Rock Resort, said Black Rock is telling its guests to time their travel plans with the highway openings, suggesting that they visit Parksville or Qualicum Beach waterfronts, and stop at provincial parks and other points of interests so they aren’t sitting in a lineup of traffic.
“Their journey will be a little bit more of an adventure,” she said.
McDiarmid said the road closures haven’t been the only problem this summer for the Wickaninnish, which typically attracts Americans, Europeans and Canadians from every part of the country.
He said congestion issues with B.C. Ferries over the Canada Day long weekend also hurt business, and there is a perception globally that “the entire province is on fire.” “But we’re pretty resilient out here,” he said. “We’re at the end of a long road and we’ll always be at the end of a long road, and there will be delays.”
Law said Tofino has many bright business minds who will figure a way to make the best of what could be a lean season.
“My message is, if you can get here, you’re going to have a great time.”
The Transportation Ministry said drivers are encouraged to fuel up and bring extra supplies, food and water. Tow trucks will be staged at either end of the closure to assist motorists in the event of breakdowns.
For up-to-date information about road conditions, visit drivebc.ca.
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