Tumbler Ridge is a pedestrian-friendly town. Bear walks allow people on foot to be able to get around town, sometimes faster than vehicles can.
But there are a few places where pedestrians don’t have a way to get around. Most of these places see low vehicle traffic—such as Kinuseo Place or Sukunka Place.
One glaring exception, though, has been Southgate. A few years ago, the section south of the school was finished. But the section between Iles Way and Pioneer Loop across from the Chevron Station remains unfinished.
But no longer. Construction has begun on putting in a sidewalk on this section of the road.
The new sidewalk section will be about 180 m long, and the standard two meters wide.
A tender was put out for the work, but the quotes came in at about $174,000, about 70 percent over the $110,000 budget, a price which councillor Bernie Lehmann called “exorbitant.”
According to Doug Beale, Director of Operations and Infrastructure for the District, the scope of the contract has been changed to reduce the cost of the project. “The scope was reduced in regards to the final landscaping,” says Beale. “That will be completed by the District. The Tender was awarded to Ray Race Contracting and on budget.”
The sidewalk has been in discussion and planning for a number of years. Most recently it was planned to be included during a land sale. Although the sale hasn’t proceeded, installation of the side walk is finally continuing.
The north side of Southgate from Iles Way to Pioneer Loop has been a grass boulevard since the District of Tumbler Ridge was built. While most people just walk on the grass, people with mobility issues are left with no option in the summer, and in the winter, there is no safe and easy path to follow.
The installation of the new sidewalk finally means that Pioneer Loop—and by extension the Trend Mountain Hotel—is finally connected to downtown for pedestrians.
“There is no direct pedestrian link to Pioneer Loop from Southgate which creates potential liability issues when pedestrians use the roadway and grassy boulevards to connect to the other pathways in the District,” says Jordan Wall. “The construction of a sidewalk from Iles to Pioneer Loop will accommodate safe access to connect to sidewalk on east side of Pioneer Loop via a crosswalk.”
