Construction has started on the Beaver River Trestle almost three years after it was initially vandalized.
The trestle was damaged in June 2012 after a lit car was pushed off the north embankment, became lodged in the trestle and set the structure ablaze.
Work to rebuild the local landmark began in early January, while local organizations were still out fundraising to back the nearly $1.6 million renovation project.
The fundraising committee received a big boost earlier this month when it was announced that the Federal government would be contributing $211,000 in grant money towards the rebuild.
“Our government is pleased to support the rebuilding of the Beaver River Trestle as part of our efforts to expand and improve recreational and multi-purpose trails across the county,” stated Brian Storseth, MP for Westlock-St.Paul-Two Hills.
“It is a landmark, a tourism drawing point and it connects our region together by connecting the (Iron Horse) trail to Cold Lake. The regional itself feels that without Cold Lake being attached to the trail it is just not the same trail, so everybody wanted to work together.”
The government funding joins the $375,000 in funding being split by local communities and trail operator North East Muni-Corr.
Ten communities involved in the upkeep of the trail all agreed to make donations and provide their portion of the money needed to rebuild the structure.
The funding formula will see the MD of Bonnyville and County of St. Paul to donate $45,000, Smokey Lake County to donate $35,625, the City of Cold Lake to donate $28,500, the Town of Bonnyville to donate $12,937, the Town of St. Paul to donate $12,375, the Town of Elk Point to donate $3,375, the Town of Smoky Lake to donate $3,000, the Village of Glendon to donate $1,312 and the Village of Vilna to donate $375.
According to Marvin Bjornstad, president of the Riverland Recreational Trail Society, between $1.1-million and $1.2-million has been collected so far in support of the renovation project.
The process has been a long one for the two local groups supporting the trestle with the Riverland Recreational Society doing the fundraising, while North East Muni-Corr has been working with engineers to keep the trestle stable.
“We have had to do a lot of engineering and we have had to stabilize it,” said Bjornstad. “It was vandalized a second time, and there was this great big beam that goes across the river which was in danger of collapsing. We had to spend some money keeping it in place until we could get the renovations done. It is important to rebuild the trestle as soon as possible.”
Constriction crews will be bringing in more equipment to the trestle site over the next few weeks, with the majority of the rebuilding work set to happen in April through to the middle of summer.
“This is a great example of working with other organizations and communities and just bringing people together,” said Storseth. “Everybody agreed that this was a regional priority, they put in a great application and it is what happens when everybody works together.”
The government funding comes from the National Trails Coalition, a new $10 million fund that was created in 2014 to expand and improve recreational and multi-purpose trials across the country.
The pot of cash has been allocated for projects regarding snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle, off-road motorcycle, and non-motorized recreational trails from coast-to-coast.
Storseth says he would be more than willing to work with anyone in the Lakeland who is interested in getting their hands on some of the funds available.
“I am happy to work with anybody to try and access some of this money, this year or next year, and help them out,” said Storseth.
“Trails bring communities together and helps the tourism, but more importantly it is something that gets people outdoors. One of the big benefits of living in Bonnyville, Cold Lake, St. Paul or Lac La Biche is our ability to get outdoors and get out and access nature. I think that is very important.”
