The waterfalls trail through Centennial Park is going to get some upgrades and the bridges are going to be replaced.
District of 100 Mile House operations director Garry Laursen says the existing main trail, which is above the falls and behind the hospital, will be recapped, widened and generally improved from the top half to two-thirds of the way down.
The more intensive trail improvements will take place where it becomes muddy, with water seeping out of the ground and running over part of the trail surface.
Laursen says this area has to be ditched and culverted with a general drainage and trail improvement.
District operations supervisor Kevin Dicken explains they will be using geotextile fabric in the trail reconstruction to help support the new construction materials and keep them in place to improve the longevity of the trail surface.
“Geotextiles are permeable fabrics, which, when used in association with soil, have the ability to separate, filter, reinforce, protect, or drain.”
Noting the water will eventually drain into the creek as it does now, Laursen says the runoff or seepage water will drain through a rock-filtering system and go into the creek.
Because there are fish in Bridge Creek, the district had to go through an environmental permitting process and has a six-week window to get the work done in the creek, which would include the replacement of the bridges and part of the trail.
“The tender closes July 18 and it’s usually three to five weeks before any work starts.”
Laursen says the district got some grant money on an 80-20 split through the Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development’s Community Recreation Program.
The district had to commit 20 per cent of the project costs as part of the application.
Both bridges leading to, and in front of, the falls are going to be replaced with metal structures, Laursen explains.
“They will be built in a truss style with some wood enhancement to make them esthetically pleasing. They will fit nicely with the rest of the trail.”
