Whitewater Ski Resort is asking the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) to back its bid to pave a six-kilometre stretch of the Whitewater Access Road.
The resort is looking at funding options for the project, but most avenues require applications to come from a regional district or municipality.
The 10-kilometre road is operated by the provincial Ministry of Transportation and maintained by Yellowhead Road & Bridge. Four kilometres are already paved, while the upper six remain gravel.
Whitewater general manager Mike Rubenstein submitted a letter to the RDCK with an update on the project, which he said could bring broad economic and community benefits.
He said the state of the road affects employees, visitors and the wider community, noting tens of thousands of dollars are spent each year on maintenance, yet conditions often become unmanageable from March to June.
“The negative impact of the conditions of the road affects not only our over 300 employees and thousands of guests per day, but the community of Nelson and the RDCK area as a whole,” said Rubenstein.
He said the project has received letters of support from local governments and organizations, including the RDCK. B.C. Transit has also indicated it would consider running a bus service to the resort if the road is paved.
The Ministry of Transportation has estimated the total project cost at $8 million, with Whitewater expected to cover $2 million – a contribution Rubenstein said would be significant to manage.
As a result, the resort is exploring several funding avenues.
Rubenstein believes the project could be eligible for three programs: the Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program, the Community Works Fund (Gas Tax) and the Strategic Priorities Fund through the Union of B.C. Municipalities.
The deadline to apply for the REDI grant program is at the end of October. The RDCK board received Rubenstein’s letter on Sept. 18.
While no motion was required at this stage, CAO Stuart Horn said said there is still time to bring one forward if the project qualifies for the REDI grant.
“If they do find out that they qualify, there is enough time to put a motion forward to support that application in October,” he said.
“But they wanted to get this in front of you so you saw what they were working on.”
Directors were told they can write letters of support individually if they please, and that a formal request could come forward if eligibility is confirmed in the coming weeks.
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