A lingering issue regarding downtown revitalization plans for Burns Lake is the remediation of the two brownfield sites.
Apparently, there are some hopes that the former Mohawk site might be rehabilitated by the end of this summer, but things are very much up in the air with the Shell site.
It’s not that Shell isn’t working on it, but the remediation and testing process doesn’t lend itself to a strict timetable. Kind of like self-improvement in general.
Phase one of the project will be underway before the end of the month. The results look like they will do a lot to transform downtown Burns Lake.
The tough nut to crack for Burns Lake is that a highway cuts right through town. The village has to balance the need to keep traffic flowing – industrial, residential and tourist – while accommodating visitors and local merchants.
As a relative new-comer to Burns Lake I’m often struck by the beauty of the natural geography of the town. The way the highway runs along the natural line of the hill the town is built on, is unique to here.
Every other town west of Prince George has the highway more-or-less bypassing the town core. I’m not sure what’s going on in Houston, but whatever it is, it doesn’t encourage slowing down to take in what the town has to offer.
Even downtown Smithers, as beautiful as it is, is easily missed unless you’re paying careful attention. Vanderhoof? The same thing. Apparently there are some excellent eateries in town, but the busy Tim Hortons seems to be the town’s landmark.
When a tourist drives into Burns Lake, they have to slow down because of the geography. The revitalization plans play on that strength by giving the town more curb-side appeal and more reason to want to park the vehicle and take a walk.
Concerns remain regarding the loss of a convenience factor when it comes to having storefront parking spots. It could be easy to gloss over those concerns and suggest that people will be willing to walk a few steps more, from centralized downtown parking, once the overall feel of the core is improved.
The problem is, shop owners don’t know if that’s true. Not only that, but timelines for additional parking can’t be established for reasons beyond the control of the Village of Burns Lake. So it remains a point of apprehension for some shop owners.
The revitalization project is banking on the idea that Burns Lake is a great place to stop. That is absolutely true. Burns Lake is in a sweet spot; It’s far enough west of P.G. that people are ready for a break when they get here, and it has the kind of natural geography that makes you want to slow down and check it out.
A lot of towns need to figure out a way to get people off the highway and into town. Burns Lake has that licked. You’re in town no matter what. We just need to make sure people have enough convenient parking available to stop for a visit.
