Sun Peaks News
New life for second resort road: Sun
Peaks tables sweeter offer,
Indian band has change of heart
The Daily News (Kamloops)
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Page: A1 / FRONT
Section: News
Byline: Cam Fortems
Dateline: KAMLOOPS
Source: The Daily News
KAMLOOPS - North
Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger said Friday he believes a secondary route to
Sun
Peaks Resort can be under
construction by 2009.
Two factors behind that confidence is a new offer from the resort
corporation and a change of heart by the Adams Lake Indian Band, which may
accept the paved road through its traditional territory.
"We've told the premier in past we'd like to see it done this mandate,"
the Liberal MLA said. "We're hopeful."
Sun
Peaks has expressed
willingness in the past to come up with $4 million toward a second, paved
route to the Trans-Canada Highway east of Chase. Krueger said the
corporation's latest offer is to accept a $16-million government cheque
and responsibility to design and build the road along with it.
"Government hasn't accepted it," Krueger said. "But the offer has been
made."
He is also hopeful the federal government will commit hundreds of millions
of dollars to highway improvements in this province, something that would
kickstart new construction.
The corporation and local politicians pushed hard for shared funding from
Ottawa and Victoria, arguing the new route would draw more vehicle traffic
from the Shuswap and Alberta and is a necessary second evacuation route.
That quest, however, came to an abrupt halt last year when Premier Gordon
Campbell told local politicians that Hoffman's Bluff on the Trans-Canada
Highway near Chase -- a stretch that has claimed dozens of lives -- must
come first.
Another discouraging factor was a study, jointly funded by the
corporation, Little Shuswap Indian Band and province, that found a route
to the east side of the lake was estimated at $40 million.
But Krueger said newly elected Adams Lake Indian Band Chief Nelson Leon
has made it quietly known the band may be willing to become a partner.
"No one did it," Krueger said of a cost estimate for a route to the west
side of Little Shuswap Lake, at Chase.
"It didn't look likely. But it's way shorter and there's an established
roadway there already."
Neither Leon, nor Sun
Peaks Resort Corp.
general manager Darcy Alexander could be reached Friday for comment.
Krueger also said a respected band elder made comments during a signing
ceremony this month
for a new forests and range agreement that are in
striking contrast to the band's opposition two years ago.
"He said 'we realize we've isolated ourselves too long and it hasn't been
good.' Their young people want access to
Sun
Peaks and employment."
Cfortems@kamloopsnews.ca
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