Federal infrastructure funding investment supports connecting Canadians to nature
May 24, 2019 Ucluelet, British Columbia Parks Canada Agency
Parks Canada's places represent the very best that Canada has to offer, and tell the stories of who we are, including the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples. Parks Canada is improving visitor access through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, and helping more Canadians to safely experience the beauty of Vancouver Island.
Today, Parks Canada celebrated the completion of significant improvements to Highway 4 through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. These upgrades improve the safety of visitors and community members, ensuring a high-quality travelling experience through the national park reserve, while reducing long-term maintenance costs to this important roadway and achieving conservation gains for the park reserve's ecosystem.
Highlights of the completed work include repaving and repairs along the entire highway and to some adjacent roads, the addition of a pedestrian controlled crosswalk at a popular day-hike area to enhance pedestrian and motorist safety, and the installation of new LED signs to broadcast critical, real-time, safety information.
As part of this funding, a deteriorated culvert at Wick Road on Sandhill Creek was replaced with a bridge, allowing salmon to once again readily reach spawning grounds and nursery habitat. A significant conservation gain, this project was the largest effort in salmon habitat restoration in the national park reserve's history. As a result of the new infrastructure, the creek is flowing freely for the first time in 18 years, opening up additional spawning habitat for adult salmon and safe nursery areas for juveniles, as well as feeding grounds for bears. The restoration of this stream has benefits for the ecosystem and the subsequent long-term protection of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is located in the traditional territories of the Nuu-cha-nulth people. The improvements to Highway 4 through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve will benefit local communities, and visitors to the national park reserve.
