Kent/Harrison – As of January 21, 2026, The District of Kent and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs were applying to BC Parks to complete a Park Boundary Adjustment to Sasquatch Provincial Park to remove park land to allow for the construction of an emergency evacuation and access route.
A decision or at least an update, is expected by the end of February 2026.
This document is the District of Kent’s and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs’ Stage 1 Proposal for a “Category 2: Adjustments intended to protect and insulate human health and safety concerns” park boundary adjustment.
The District of Kent and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs are in favour of returning the park boundary to its original status once the evacuation route is established. This is subject to light maintenance being permitted to maintain its accessibility and functionality. The District of Kent and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs would agree to provide light maintenance on the road once all the infrastructure is completed.
From BC Parks and District of Kent websites (more info at this link) :
Project Description
Background and Rationale
Establishing an evacuation route from the north end of Rockwell Drive (located in the District of Kent) has been a priority of the District of Kent and the Village of Harrison Hot Springs for over 20 years.
Residents, businesses, and visitors travelling north past the Golf Road intersection of Provincial Highway 9 have only one access/ egress route in the event of an emergency. This encompasses a permanent population of approximately 2,000 in the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and a portion of the District of Kent; however, during the busy tourist season that number often swells to more than 10,000.
Additionally, those that live or travel north of Harrison Hot Springs may also be trapped by a road closure on Rockwell Drive. This includes campers and day users of Sasquatch Provincial Park. Recreators and residents along the Harrison East Forest Service Road are also vulnerable if access/ egress along Rockwell Drive is hindered. The proposed evacuation route located at the northern portion of the identified area would provide a safe egress during an emergency evacuation whether the event impacted Highway 9 or Rockwell Drive.
The Rockwell Drive area in the District of Kent has been cut off several times in recent years due to a variety of different emergencies.
