The Village of Cache Creek has initiated the expropriation of two properties along the Cache Creek corridor, as part of a larger project to address persistent flood risks and advance long-term community protection.
The properties, located at 1153 and 1191 Trans-Canada Highway, have been identified as essential components in the next phase of the Village's flood mitigation efforts. One property contains the former Castle Motel/Junctions Coffee Shop building; the other is an empty lot immediately adjacent to, and east of, that property.
"This decision was not made lightly," says Cache Creek mayor John Ranta. "After reviewing all options, this option is the least impact overall financially that still allows us to move forward in a way that protects residents, businesses, and public infrastructure."
Since 2015, the area along Cache Creek between Quartz Road and the Bonaparte River has repeatedly been impacted by severe flood events. The narrow channel and culvert located behind the two properties is the most complex and problematic section of the creek corridor, and are key barriers to proper water flow and channel function.
“The village has to do this; we don’t have other options,” says Cache Creek CAO Damian Couture. “If we don’t re-direct the waterway through this space it will keep flooding and we’ll see millions of dollars of damage each time it floods. It’s happened four times in the last few years, and it’s hit us very hard.”
Couture notes that while the province has paid most of the remediation costs to repair damage in that corridor, via Disaster Financial Assistance, the village’s portion of the cost has run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. “We must do this to protect our village, residents, and economy. It’s costing us with every flood.”
Couture explains that the current channel and existing culvert behind the properties in question are far too narrow to accommodate freshet flows. “All we can do is move the whole channel from that space. Renovation of the building isn’t an option: all the signs are pointing to full demolition, because the only solution is moving the actual channel, and that will involve directing it through where the building is.”
The village is looking at a solution that will meet the capacity needed to handle high water flows and environmental standards. Couture says that any sort of restriction in that corridor creates opportunities for sediment to settle, or wash out where it’s not wanted.
“When we get to the next stage of construction with that corridor we will have to chart a very specific path with very controlled flows, using physical barriers so water is staying at the right speed and going at the right angles so it continues through to the Bonaparte water system, which is good at washing sediment through.
“Our best option is to create a channel that flushes itself out. If we can get the sediment through Cache Creek to the Bonaparte it can settle out in places that are safe, and we think that by purchasing these properties we can achieve that.”
The need to solve the issue behind the two properties has slowed down work at Quartz Road, adds Couture.
“Quartz Road is a two-phase project. Phase one is to re-align the channel, and phase two is to cross it [at Quartz Road]. Crossing it hasn’t been on the back burner; it’s part of a larger, bigger project to protect the community. The next step will be moving the channel, and there’s a good chance we will try to tie in the work of constructing a crossing at the same time.
“Do we know this? No, but that’s what we’re aiming for. With projects of this scale you get more bang for your buck if you do it together. We’ll be talking publicly about the crossing soon, and will be looking at public consultation and information gathering.”
The village is undertaking the expropriation of the properties in accordance with provincial legislation. Notices have been served and filed, and Couture says that tenants and occupants will be contacted individually to begin respectful, one-on-one discussions about timelines and impacts. “We don’t want people to think they’ll be displaced without notice.”
"Our goal is to move forward in a way that is transparent, coordinated, and fair," says Ranta. "We are also actively exploring funding options to minimize the impact on municipal taxpayers as we complete this important work."
