Golden Ears Provincial Park to get new bridge as part of $500,000 in trail upgrades

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      A new bridge will create a loop trail for hikers in Golden Ears Provincial Park when it is completed in 2015.

      The B.C. government announced today (April 8) funding for the bridge as part of a three-year, $500,000 investment in the park, which lies north of Maple Ridge.

      "Our government continues to invest in Golden Ears and along with other recent capital investments to the day use area, a water system upgrade, and a clean energy upgrade - we are improving the park for future generations," Minister of Environment Terry Lake said in a news release.

      The funding announcement comes ahead of a provincial election on May 14.

      B.C. Parks' draft management plan for Golden Ears, released in December, proposed the bridge. But the plan isn't expected to be finalized until late spring.

      Spanning Gold Creek, the bridge will connect the East Canyon and West Canyon trails. Upgrades to both trails and work to prepare for the bridge will begin in 2014.

      Upgrades to the popular Lower Falls Trail will get underway this spring and likely finish this fall. Sections of the trail that get waterlogged will be fixed, and then the trail will be resurfaced.

      Golden Ears is B.C.'s fourth most-visited provincial park.

      Comments

      5 Comments

      DavidH

      Apr 8, 2013 at 4:14pm

      A $500,000 "investment" over three years is nothing more than a cheap election announcement. Pennies (if we still had pennies).

      Meanwhile, canyon trail upgrades - and preparation for the new bridge - won't even BEGIN until 2014. Ummm .. this is April 2013?

      Terry Lake is a joke, like most of his colleagues.

      PJ

      Apr 9, 2013 at 7:03am

      I was under the imprestion that BC was broke,now for the few hikers they find the money .I like rough trails as long as they dont cause enviromental damage .Building bridges causes a carbon footprint with all the equiptment working and the steel production etc,this is supposed to be nature,not sidewalk city.

      Mike

      Apr 9, 2013 at 8:33am

      Design of the bridge will take time.

      StevenL

      Apr 9, 2013 at 9:48am

      Hope they don't make it to easy to get to the best camping spots. Geez.

      AdamP

      May 30, 2013 at 1:38pm

      This is a good thing. Many, many people enjoy these trails, and they need to be maintained or else they become severely eroded. While I think the bridge is overkill, I am glad they keep the trails up. While I tend to stay away from the beaten trails and head for less traveled paths, I'm super glad that all of those people are experiencing nature and the outdoors, and the trails are there in the first place.