8 July 2010

Spallumcheen Wants Rail Line Kept Running

Spallumcheen British Columbia - The possible abandonment of the Canadian Pacific Railway line that runs from Armstrong to Sicamous has Spallumcheen worried.
 
Mayor Will Hansma told council Monday it is important to make their interest and concern over the situation known.
 
He is also requesting that the North Okanagan Regional District present a united front.
 
"We need to stand together as communities up and down the valley," he said.
 
CP decided to discontinue the line back in August of 2009, and since no private buyers have come forward it has been offered to the government.
 
The federal government has until 19 Jul 2010 to accept the offer. After that the offer will be extended to the provincial government who will have until 18 Aug 2010 to accept or decline.
 
Finally, if the provincial government passes, the offer will be extended for 30 days to the Township of Spallumcheen, the City of Armstrong, the City of Enderby, and NORD. And should the line be purchased by any of the three levels of government, it would still require extensive upgrades.
 
There is fear if no one purchases the line, it will be abandoned altogether, which will negatively impact the community and its economic activity.
 
"We're pretty concerned," said Hansma.
 
This does not mean that Spallumcheen is going to purchase it, said Hansma. But he does want it to remain a topic of discussion.