Construction of Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail underway ahead of public hearing

Progress on the bike trail from Sicamous to Armstrong is underway as the 2024 construction season starts. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District announced in a press release which sections of the Shuswap North Okanagan rail trail are going to be built this year. The plan is to work on kilometres 1.5 to 4.5 in the district,  begin working on sections of the trail south of kilometre 42.6 at Stepney X Road,  and work on a section between kilometres 49 to 50 at Lansdowne Road in Armstrong. This announcement comes after a successful pilot project in Enderby where the district built a two kilometre stretch of bike path. There have been numerous challenges with building this trail including opposition from adjacent property owners, changing zoning bylaws, and securing enough funding. The district has made this construction announcement before the public hearing on April 10 where residents will be able to voice their concerns regarding rezoning properties along a one kilometre stretch of Mara Lake so the trail can be built through there. READ MORE: Sicamous to take another look at connecting to Shuswap-North Okanagan rail trail https://infotel.ca/newsitem/sicamous-to-take-another-look-at-connecting-to-shuswap-north-okanagan-rail-trail/it103898 Splatsin Development Corporation’s Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) are going to be the primary contractor on the project. The plan for the finished trail is to follow the decommissioned CP rail line for 50 km along shoreline, rivers, hillsides, and farmland. Bikes, E-bikes, leashed dogs, and pedestrians will be allowed on the path, but no horses or motorized vehicles. The goal is to have the entire trail finished in 2026, including a pedestrian overpass on Highway 97. The districts have received millions of dollars from various grants to build this rail trail.  READ MORE: Sicamous to Armstrong rail trail gets $12.5M grant, but millions still needed https://infotel.ca/newsitem/sicamous-to-armstrong-rail-trail-gets-125m-grant-but-millions-still-needed/it93322 This trail is part of an effort from cities, towns, First Nations, and districts all around the Okanagan to connect Sicamous to Osoyoos through a continuous path for walking and cycling. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District and the Regional District of North Okanagan have been collaborating to get the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail finished for years, and there is still a long way to go. Property owners adjacent to the trail have been asked to move any structures before construction begins because construction crews could damage any structure they cannot move. Click here https://www.csrd.bc.ca/DocumentCenter/View/4484/24-03-22-Rail-Trail-Update-2024---2-page---WORKING-v23?bidId= for more information. To contact a reporter for this story, email Jesse Tomas mailto:jtomas@infonews.ca  or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .