INTERESTING NEWS Canada’s Oldest First Nations Newspaper - Serving Nuu-chah-nulth-aht since 1974 Canadian Publications Mail Product Vol. 48 - No. 20—October 21, 2021 haas^i>sa Sales Agreement No. 40047776
Physical work begins on Bamfield road upgrade An improved, safer, chip-sealed surface is expected to be complete on the 77-kilometre route by the fall of 2022 By Eric Plummer Ha-Shilth-Sa Editor Bamfield Main, BC - After decades of lobbying – and multiple fatalities – construction work on the road to Bamfield is beginning, with a hard surface over the entire 77-kilometre route expected to be complete in a year. On Oct. 18 leaders from the region’s forestry companies, governments and First Nations gathered at the Blenheim Gravel Pit with golden shovels in hand, marking the start of the heavy lifting that will lead to a safer road to Bamfield and its surrounding communities. Hosted by the Huu-ay-aht First Nations, the gravel pit is the first of five planned to be used for building shoulder sections of the road that runs south of Port Alberni. Huu-ay-aht Chief Councillor Robert Dennis Sr. explained that the gravel pit is within the area where the First Nation’s people lived for centuries. He said that an improved road into the territory is key to any development. “This is going to change how we do business in our land,” said Dennis. “This means that we no longer have to depend on forestry, or just depend on fisheries. We can now diversify our economy.” “When our nation says we are open for business, we can say that because the hereditary leaders give the head nod to opening our lands, to continue our historic ties with our neighbouring tribes,” said Tayii Ḥaw̓ił ƛiišin (Head Hereditary Chief Derek Peters). “The objective of our hereditary leaders has always been to work closely with government, local governments, federal and provincial governments, business and industry.” A harder, more durable, chip sealed surface is expected to cover the road by the fall of 2022. This is a one-and-a-half-inch combination of layers of liquid asphalt and rock chip, explained Kevin Gordon, senior project manager with Parsons, the contractor undertaking the road resurfacing. “They spray a layer of asphalt, then they put rock chip on top,” he said. “They roll it, then they put another layer of asphalt the liquid, not the mixed rock.” The chip sealed process has benefits over pavement, noted Gordon. “It’s flexible, so it will take, whereas pavement is rigid, you get those cracks,” he said. “This is more flexible, so it can take some of the wear and tear.” Designs that have been underway over the last year also entail paving approximately 15 kilometres of the road, covering steeper sections that require a harder
Photo by Eric Plummer
Tayii Ḥaw̓ił ƛiišin, Derek Peters, speaks at the Blenheim Gravel Pit on Oct. 18, as leaders from various levels of government as well as the neighbouring Tseshaht marked the start of work that will lead to a safer, stronger surface on Bamfield Main. surface. This additional paving work is neighbouring village of Anacla since “Previous governments failed us, and expected to be complete by the fall of the early 1970s, said Dennis. Countless this government came to the table work2023. people have lost their lives on the treach- ing with Huu-ay-aht to come through The route will also be widened to eight erous passage, which becomes signifiwith this,” he said. metres in most parts, explained Gordon, cantly more hazardous during the heavy Currently 85 per cent of Huu-ay-aht with signs alerting drivers to curves and rains each fall and winter, while dust can members live away from their home tersteel barriers to improve safety. be blinding for drivers in the dry summer ritory, but ƛiišin hopes that an improved The chip sealing is expected to start in months. Eight Huu-ay-aht members have road will enable more of his people to April, but over the wetter fall and winter lost their lives on the road, including consider returning to the birthplace of months gravel can be placed on the ƛiišin’s grandfather, the late Tayii Ḥaw̓ił their ancestors. shoulders. Art Peters. “There was a time when we fought hard “By the end of the winter, in early Years of hopeful meetings with governover many years to try to get government spring, we’ll have all the gravel in place ment officials turned to action after the representatives to come set foot on our so the contractors will be able to move tragedy of Sept. 13, 2019, when a bus soil,” noted ƛiišin. “Things have changed ahead quickly,” said Gordon, noting with 45 University of Victoria students and things are going in the right direction that sections under construction will be and two teaching assistants slid off the now.” limited to a single lane as the project pro- road, rolling down an embankment. North of Coleman Creek a portion of gresses. “When they do it they can work Students Emma McIntosh Machado and Bamfield Main lies in Tseshaht territory, on one side of the road, so there will be John Geerdes, both 18, lost their lives, on leading the Huu-ay-aht to reach out to single-lane traffic in sections, but they a journey that was planned to be an antheir neighbouring First Nation for apwill be moving fairly quickly, like normal nual trip to the Bamfield Marine Sciences proval in upgrading the road. On Oct. 18 highway construction.” Centre. Tseshaht hereditary and elected leaderThe project is budgeted to cost $30.7 In November of that year Premier John ship were present for the ground-breaking million, including $25.7 million from the Horgan visited the crash site and came to event. provincial government and $5 million Anacla to meet with Huu-ay-aht leaders, “You’ve heard a lot about reconciliation, from the Huu-ay-aht, a financial injeccommitting to a plan to improve the road. about Huu-ay-aht reconciling with the tion that was the first to be committed to Bamfield Main is owned by the province province, the ACRD and Bamfield and the road upgrade, said Mid Island-Pacific and forestry companies, a fragmented the City of Port Alberni, but what’s really Rim MLA Josie Osborne. management that has been cited as a exciting with our Ha’wiih and our coun“This is laying a strong foundation for challenge to pave the road in the past. But cil is us reconciling amongst ourselves as the community of the Huu-ay-aht, for in the fall of 2019 both Western Forest nations,” said Tseshaht Chief Councillor Anacla, for Bamfield, for the people of Products and Mosaic sent letters of enKen Watts. “I look forward to the invitathe Alberni Valley region out to the west dorsement to the province as the urgency tions to the House of Huu-ay-aht, inviting coast,” said Osborne, who is also B.C.’s of improving the road’s safety escalated. our citizens down and not having to minister of Municipal Affairs. Bob Beckett is director for the Alberni worry about driving the road.” The Huu-ay-aht have been lobbying for Clayoquot Regional District’s Electoral an improved road to Bamfield and their Area A, which includes Bamfield.
Inside this issue... Float plane hits water taxi...............................................Page 2 Virtual Justice Centre for Indigenous Peoples................Page 5 Preparing for storm season.............................................Page 6 Working to keep children with family............................Page 9 Tla-o-qui-aht reach ‘milestone’ deal with B.C.............Page 11
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