The province has rejected an application for a gravel pit near Westside Road.
Terus Construction Ltd. had applied for a 12.4 ha. sand and gravel pit adjacent to their existing pit for a 20 year aggregate extraction operation of approximately 37,500 metres cubed or 75,000 tonnes of extraction per year, which would fill 300 Olympic-size swimming pools throughout its proposed lifetime.
The company was denied use of the same crown land in a 2016 application, which they applied for using their umbrella corporation’s name Interoute Construction.
According to the application, the gravel was partly required for the Trans Canada Highway upgrades.
READ MORE: Revelstoke construction company applies for gravel pit for second time
According to a document from the province dated last month, Rob McRory, senior land officer from the province, gave several reasons for rejecting the project.
For example, the application overlapped with a Section 17 map reserve held on behalf of the City of Revelstoke for future developments. The city had advised the province that they are currently undertaking feasibility studies to develop the area into a Technology Park.
McRory wrote in his decision that the Section 17 takes precedent over the gravel pit application as the City of Revelstoke had advised that a new gravel pit would be incompatible with a Technology Park.
Black Press has reached out to the city for more information on the proposed Technology Park and will update this story with their response.
McRory also noted that First Nations had brought forth concerns about the proposed pit’s proximity to potential archaeological materials.
Terus Construction Ltd’s application is one of two separate proposed gravel pit projects in Revelstoke.
Jake-Jay Construction has also applied to the province for two aggregate production sites near Westside Rd and the Jordan Kirkup Forest Service Rd.
READ MORE: Revelstoke City Council opposed to proposed gravel pits north of town
In July, Revelstoke City Council said they opposed the two production sites for environmental reasons, low economic impact and significant neighbourhood opposition.
A petition against the pits proposed by Jake-Jay Construction also gathered 150 signatures.
Regardless, the province has final say in whether or not the operation is approved, as it is on crown land. They have yet to make a decision.
READ MORE: ‘This river is a treasure’-Revelstoke resident opposes gravel pit proposal near Jordan River
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