BACKGROUND
Through the beautiful temperate rainforest of the Chilliwack River Valley runs the Great Trail (aka TCT). Between Tamahi Creek and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park, near the Ford Mountain Forest Service Road, runs the Nesakwatch Creek. The Great Trail passes over this water course.
After 20 years, the once beautiful bridge was failing. This part of the Great Trail is a popular section important to hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. In the fall of 2019, after conferring with Recreation Sites and Trails (RSTBC), we decided to join together to replace the failing bridge.
PROJECT CONTEXT
Along came Ted Holtby, a retired employee of Cattermole Timber … expert in bridge and road building. Ted was crucial to the success of our bridge replacement project.
Due to the bridge being over 6 meters, we had to overcome a number of obstacles: costly engineers, environmental and archaeological assessments, and constraints due to the fact that the creek is an important salmon spawning channel and the protected home of the Pacific Giant Salamander and Pacific Water Shrew. Environmental protection was of utmost concern.
The timeframe for the project, including the bridge frame construction and painting, was the spring and summer of 2020.
In September 2020, the actual placing and on-site construction of the bridge began.
After a week-long effort with Ted Holtby at the lead and Sean Peters on the excavator, with others volunteering their time, the metal frame that was the foundation of the bridge was placed.
Then, over two weekends and 3 rainy days, volunteers of Back Country Horsemen – Yarrow Chapter and families, following the lead of Ted, drilled and hammered on the decking and the railing. We also tidied and restored the site.
PROJECT FUNDING
We were able to get funding for this project through amazing donors:
Donor contributions will be recognized by a sign mounted on the bridge and various written articles published recognizing partners in the project.
CONCLUSION
It has been a pleasure to be a part of this project and so satisfying to finally ride over the Nesakwatch Bridge after a year in the making. A bridge that will outlast the current generation and be there for our future population to enjoy.
