First “shovels in the ground” for mega project

And so it begins

BC Hydro is starting site preparation work for the $960 million John Hart Generating station Replacement Project. It is the first actual “shovels in the ground” work to take place on the mega project.

The first of the work will begin with tree removals for the new parking lot off Woodstave Road, just off Brewster Lake Road near Highway 28.

BC Hydro will be building an access road, 80-spot parking lot and trail to provide public access into the Elk Falls Provincial Park.

The parking lot is vital to the proposed suspension bridge over the Elk Falls canyon, a project that is waiting for final approval from the province.

BC Hydro’s Stephen Watson said the new public access works into the park will be in place for the up to three-year road closure of Brewster Lake Road.

That closure may happen, at the earliest, this fall.

Tree removals, which are being done prior to the bird nesting season, will begin on Monday and last for about three days. All the removals will be within BC Hydro property.

Work on widening the three access roads into the John Hart property, along with the parking lot and trail system re-alignments, will take place this spring and summer in advance of the main construction work beginning around late summer.

Watson said BC Hydro will advise the community of the site preparation construction schedule in the near future, including the Station View Trail that will allow for the broader Canyon View Trail loop around the John Hart construction area.

Neil Cameron, Campbell River Courier-Islander

Published: Friday, March 08, 2013

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