Adra Tunnel along Kettle Valley Rail Trail close to reopening: RDOS | 24CA News
For the primary time up to now 30 years, the Adra Tunnel is near reopening.
The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) is backing efforts to reopen the historic Adra Tunnel alongside the Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail.
The tunnel close to Naramata is 109 years outdated and is the longest tunnel on the KVR and has been closed for the reason that early Nineteen Nineties attributable to unstable situations. Further, deliberately-set fires within the tunnel in 2010 and 2012 destroyed the remaining timber helps, additional deteriorating tunnel stability.
The RDOS is supporting a neighborhood group generally known as ‘Woodwackers 2.0’ which initiated the venture.
The group is a casual neighborhood community of native companies and people who’re working with the regional district, Recreation Sites and Trails BC in addition to a number of native contractors to deliver collectively funds, sources and experience to soundly reopen the tunnel.
The group shares the RDOS’ imaginative and prescient for the KVR path to grow to be a major heritage and recreation web site, in flip bringing in additional vacationers to the path.
“This project is ignited by a strong sense of community passion, generosity, and purpose from the Woodwackers 2.0 and their supporters to make what has been a seemingly impossible task become possible,” mentioned Adrienne Fedrigo, Electoral Area “E” director.
In 2022, the regional district eyed the potential of reopening the tunnel, however nonetheless wanted to undertake a research and decide the feasibility of opening the 487-metre tunnel.
Now with approval from the province, the phased venture has moved on to bodily rock bolting and shotcrete work to stabilize the construction.
So far, 200 cubic metres of rock and particles have been cleared from the tunnel over the course of 1000’s of hours of volunteer work.
Over $300,000 in personal donations have been directed to evaluate and put together the tunnel for the following part of engineering work.
The RDOS is overseeing the efforts and serving to to facilitate the following steps, which embody securing remaining approval from the province for the opening and ongoing operation of the Adra Tunnel.
“The Adra Tunnel has been closed to the public for more than 40 years. Now, after months of exploratory work, fully funded and initiated by private donations and overseen by the Regional District, the full potential of the KVR may once again become a reality,” mentioned Mark Pendergraft, RDOS Chair.
The RDOS hopes that the reopening of the tunnel will place the location to grow to be a vacation spot of its personal like others within the area, together with Myra Canyon.
More info on the venture and the place to donate will be discovered on the Adra Tunnel’s web site.
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
