Othello Tunnels/Coquihalla Provincial Park: It was supposed to be an Easter present back in March from the Province.
“Coquihalla Canyon Park and Othello Tunnels are extremely popular, and their spectacular beauty and unique features provide good reason,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “We know people have been waiting a long time for the park to safely open. The damage to this park from the atmospheric river was extensive, and we are designing and rebuilding more resilient infrastructure so it can better withstand the impacts of climate change.”
The damage was caused during the November 2021 atmospheric river and floods.
The restoration work will happen in two phases so people can visit part of the park. The first phase will focus on restoring facilities and access from the park entrance and parking lot to the end of tunnel two. The trail will be resurfaced and elevated to prevent similar damage from flooding. The rest of the park is projected to open in 2025.
The original FVN story is here.
On July 10 came the bad news from Hope Mayor Victor Smith via Hope, Cascades, and Canyons Visitors Centre: Unfortunately, the Othello Tunnels will remain closed until September or later, we don’t have any further information at the moment.
Bottom line, the repair work continues as the Province is heading into a summer with a complete fire ban.
