People will soon be able to explore more of a popular tourist destination and historic location in B.C. after another section of a park has reopened.
The Othello Tunnels, near Hope, were heavily damaged after an enormous volume of water went through Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park in November 2021.
On June 27, the northern portion of the park will be reopening, allowing three of the five historic Othello Tunnels to be accessed.
The Ministry of Environment and Parks announced the update on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m.
The total cost of the project is roughly $10 million and is largely supported by the Government of Canada’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program. Back in June 2024, the cost was pegged at $4.5 million.
"The park is being repaired in phases due to the complexity of the restoration work,” said a spokesperson, noting the bump in cost is "due to complexity of repairs."
During this phase, a new north bridge was installed and 10 new stalls were added to the parking lot. More slopes and rocks were also stabilized in the canyon.
Back in 2021, more than 30 sites were damaged throughout the park, including the tunnels that were built in 1914.
Many bridge foundations and the stability of the canyon slopes above the tunnels were affected.
On Aug. 19, the first phase of the park reopened to the public allowing access to two of the tunnels.
BC Parks is working with First Nations and archeology and cultural-heritage specialists to avoid potential impacts during construction.
