Cranbrook Daily Townsman, July 24, 2013

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JULY 24, 2013

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Vol. 61, Issue 143

www.dailytownsman.com

Million-dollar fix for back roads

East Kootenay forestry roads will be expensive to fix after June’s devastating floods S a l ly M ac D o n a l d Townsman Staff

Whiteswan area is one of the high priority ones because there is equipOne month after torrential rains ment trapped in there and it has been devastated the East Kootenay, many cut off completely.” Closer to Cranbrook, the popular backcountry roads in the region remain closed as government staff Fisher Peak trail is cut off by a washout on Mause Creek Forest Service scramble to plan expensive repairs. Dave Rebagliatti, an engineer with Road. But that road won’t be one of the Rocky Mountain Forest District, the first fixed, Rebagliatti said. “Mause Creek is a said that close to 30 bridges in the district “I certainly recognize pretty low priority because there is one hike were lost in the flood, how important up there and it’s a fairly and many roads have a significant event up lot of damage. getting into the there. We would have to “Most of the other backcountry is to have a geo-tech look at ones are pretty severely that and make sure impacted so it’s not a my constituents whatever we do to fix it is simple fix,” said Rebagliatti. “It’s a pretty because I use those safe. an expensive fix big impact.” same roads … We for “It’s the amount you get He said that the Ministry of Forests, Lands all must realize that out of it.” Bennett said that the and Natural Resource the recent flood ministry is necessarily Operations will consider reassigning funding damage to roads focusing on roads that access active logging opthat was set for another and bridges is erations. purpose. Emergency “I have met with (the Management BC may unprecedented. ministry) right after the allot funding to reimA complete repair floods and with forest burse the ministry’s work, but that could be will cost millions companies, both of which have rights and some time coming. of dollars.” obligations around reKootenay East MLA Bill Bennett said he un- MLA Bill Bennett source roads. I support their priority to repair derstands the imporroads first that are assotance of backcountry ciated with logging and roads to his constituforestry jobs.” ents. But Bennett is advocating for “I certainly recognize how important getting into the backcountry is to roads with a high recreational value my constituents because I use those as well, he went on. “I have also made it known to both same roads,” said Bennett. “We all must realize that the recent government and industry that reflood damage to roads and bridges is source roads important to recreation, unprecedented. A complete repair trapping and guide outfitting should be repaired as soon as we can afford will cost millions of dollars.” Rebagliatti said the ministry has to do the work,” said Bennett. yet to settle on a priority list for fixing forestry roads. “We haven’t nailed down which See BACKCOUNTRY , Page 4 ones are high priority. I would say the

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Dan Mills photo

The Mause Creek Forest Service Road is pictured at the site of a washout caused by last month’s flooding, which rendered the road practically impassable. The Mause Creek FSR is the route up to Fisher Peak, an important and popular regional hike.

• EAST KOOTENAY REGIONAL HOSPITAL

Brittany & James Flanagan of Cranbrook, a son Jodie Turner & Nathan Ferguson of Cranbrook, a daughter Melanie & Wade Daignault of Cranbrook, a son Tabitha & James Ford of Cranbrook, a son Cara & Greg Webb of Cranbrook, a daughter Chelsie Mochrie & Jeff Brennan of Cranbrook, a son Shaian Devassy & Hina Francis of Cranbrook, a son

June 27 June 28 July 3 July 6 July 13 July 16 July 18 July 18 July 20

Kayla Roberts & Raymond Arnold of Fernie, a daughter Samantha & Emmett Quinn of Cranbrook, a daughter Danielle & Heath Phillips of Kimberley, a daughter Sarah Blanchard of Kimberley, a daughter Hayley & Aaron Moldenhauer of Cranbrook, a daughter Krista & Daniel Aylward of Cranbrook, a daughter Brittany & Mike Belway of Cranbrook, a daughter Angie & Brandt Wagner of Cranbrook, a son Jennifer Sandstrom & Jeff Volpatti of Cranbrook, a son

Jason Wheeldon

Personal Real Estate Corporation

250-426-8211

East Kootenay Realty


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