A long-awaited access road to the Esler Sports Complex is finally been given the green light to start design work.
The Cariboo Regional District(CRD) approved a $1 million contribution from the Community Works Fund to get the Esler Sports Complex Access Road Project off the ground.
The project will build a new 1.3 kilometre long road through Crown Land that gives direct access to the Esler Sports Complex from Highway 20, easing traffic congestion and safety concerns on Hodgson Road. Hoping to be user-ready by 2026.
The Esler Sports Complex is widely used for many sports and activities. CRD Vice-Chair and Electoral Area E Director Melynda Neufeld, who lives on Hodgson Road, says the access on Hodgson Road and Wilkie Road has become “too dangerous.” During a soccer game or a baseball tournament, parked vehicles cluster the roads, making it a safety concern if anyone were to get injured.
“With this access coming in, it will free up Wilkie Road,” says Neufeld. “People will be parking differently, and we can utlize some of the other spaces, and people will be access the complex directly from Highway 20.”
The road project is estimated to cost $4 million, and has been in discussion since 2008. The project was initially slated for a 2028 completion. But the $1 million from the Community Works Fund will get the project “more committed.”
Neufeld says the CRD can start preliminary work on designs and more cost estimates by fall 2025, as the CRD seeks additional funding, with hopeful finish date in 2026.
Once the project is complete, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is expected to build the road to their standards and maintain the road. The road will start by only being used during the spring, summer, and fall, and will be gated during the winter.
“It’s huge, once I was elected, my goal was to get this project finished. It’s been in the works for far too long,” Neufeld says, even saying the look on her constituents’ faces was even better.
“They were just priceless, they were so thankful that the road’s finally going to be built.”
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