BC Parks says it is reopening another tunnel and allowing the public to access three out of the five Othello Tunnels on June 27, with the full opening happening next spring.
"The park is being repaired in phases due to the complexity of the restoration work," said the Ministry of Environment and Parks. "During the second phase, the new north bridge was installed, 10 new stalls were added to the parking lot, a portion of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail was resurfaced, and more slopes and rocks were stabilized in the canyon."
According to the ministry, the remaining work includes redecking the south bridge, stabilizing the inside of the fifth tunnel, and adding sprayed concrete to areas where the rock has significantly deteriorated. Crews will also remove unstable soil, rocks, and vegetation along the canyon slopes.
The park is currently closed for the construction. It will reopen on June 27 and the three tunnels will be accessible to the public until Oct. 31.
Because restoration is still ongoing, the rest of the park will also remain temporarily closed throughout the rest of summer and into fall.
The project, which costs $10 million and is being supported the federal government's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements program, began last year in April. Restoration is being done to repair the damage caused by the November 2021 floods. Damage included bridge foundations being affected, instability of the canyon slopes above the tunnels, and access to roads and trails being eroded.
On June 20, 2024, the province announced that the tunnels would partially reopen that July. Instead, due to unexpected delays in the restoration process, two of the five tunnels were opened mid-August that year.
At the time, the province was aiming to fully reopen the park and its tunnels by the end of 2025.
