Recreation Area Closures

Jones Lake recreation area

The Jones Lake recreation site and campground will be closed from September 17 to September 30, 2012. Please be advised that the Jones Lake Forest Service Road which is the only road access to the recreation site will be closed for road repairs scheduled during this period.

Pend d'Oreille recreation area

Important notice: Effective July 17, 2012, the Pend d'Oreille recreation site and Buckley campground is closed due to unstable land and potential landslide conditions. This site is being evacuated and will be closed until further notice.

Buntzen / Jones / Hayward – Stave Lakes – Increased RCMP patrols for alcohol and drug use

The RCMP will be patrolling public parks and recreation areas throughout the province for the unlawful use of alcohol and drugs. This includes BC Hydro property, and particularly the lower mainland and Chilliwack areas. BC Hydro prohibits the consumption of alcohol and illegal drugs and is strictly enforced by the RCMP.

Mission – Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse Upgrade Project

Road and recreation closures: Construction Spring 2012 to 2018

The BCUC recently granted approval of the Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse Upgrade Project and construction is underway. The following closures are in effect through project completion in 2018:

Hayward Street over Ruskin Dam will continue to be closed to all motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrian traffic.
Hayward Street will be closed north of Keystone Avenue (except for local traffic) to Ruskin Dam. Parking will not be permitted.
Wilson Street will continue to operate for alternating single lane traffic.
The Ruskin Recreation/Picnic site, located south of Ruskin Dam, will be closed to the public. This area, including the parking lot, will be fenced and used for construction.
The Lower Railway parking lot, northwest of Ruskin Dam, will be closed. The interim Upper Railway Parking Lot, located further up Wilson Street, will be available and provides access for trail and beach users.
Hiking Trails: Portions of the 10 km circuit around Hayward Lake Reservoir will be closed:
- The Reservoir Trail will be closed from Ruskin Dam to Hairsine Inlet due to construction activity on the left abutment. During construction, the trail can be accessed from the Reservoir Trail parking lot east of Blind Slough Dam at Stave Falls.
- The Railway Trail can be accessed from the Upper Railway Parking Lot or from the Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area.
Hayward Lake Reservoir will be drawn down to 33 metres from May through August this summer and again in 2013. Access to the beach at the Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Site will be closed as the beach has a very steep drop-off and cannot be used safely when the water is very low. The Hayward Lake boat launch will also be out of service during the drawdown. The dog off-leash area may be required for construction use. Other closures may be required for construction use or for safety requirements.

Hayward Lake Reservoir Beaches closed May to August 2012

Access to the beaches on the Hayward Lake Reservoir will be closed this summer as the water level will be drawn down to 33 metres from May through August. The beaches have a very steep drop-off and cannot be used safely when the water is very low.

The drawdown is required for construction related to the Ruskin Dam right abutment work and will comply with the conditions of the Water Licence. A similar drawdown to complete the work is scheduled for May through August 2013.

The Hayward Lake boat launch will also be out of service during the drawdown. The picnic grounds and the parking lot at the Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area remain open.

Other closures may be required for construction use or for safety requirements.

Additional parking

We will be adding 79 parking spaces at the Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area parking lot south of the Stave Visitor Centre parking. These will be available mid-August for public use.

The Upper Railway Trail parking lot will be open for the duration of the project. This parking lot provides access to the Railway Trail.

Recreation upgrades underway from July 3 to mid-September 2012

BC Hydro is expanding the parking lot at the Stave Visitor Centre and upgrading the pedestrian bridge. There will be no access from the existing Stave Visitor Centre parking to the Hayward Lake Reservoir Recreation Area.

The dog beach is being upgraded to re-contour the slope into the lake, and picnic tables, a drinking fountain and pit toilets are being added as well. For public safety, the dog beach will be closed while this work is undertaken.

We anticipate that the beach will re-open to the public in mid-September.

Please see the Ruskin Closures 2012-2018 Map [PDF, 129 KB] for further details on parking and closures.

For more information on this project, please visit the Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse Upgrade Project .

Mission – Stave Falls Spillway Gate Reliability Project (2011-2013)

Road closures on Dewdney Trunk

For the duration of the Stave Falls Spillway Gate Reliability Project, periodic closures of Dewdney Trunk Road will be required. In general, these will be short-term (10-15 minutes) or single lane closures.

For more information on this project, please visit the Spillway Gate Reliability Program . Or call BC Hydro Public Consultation & Stakeholder Relations by:

Phone: 604 623 4472
Toll free: 1 866 647 3334
Email

Recreation closures

Pedestrian access over Blind Slough Dam at Stave Falls will be closed during working hours (7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays).

Trails remain open; however hikers will be unable to complete the Railway/Reservoir Trail loop due to the closure of both crossings, Ruskin (24 hours a day) and Blind Slough Dam (7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. weekdays).

BC Hydro will reopen pedestrian access over Blind Slough Dam when construction schedules allow (e.g. primarily evenings and weekends).

Shuswap Falls Picnic Site – Shuswap Falls Recreation Area – Flooding

Please be advised that in the interest of public safety, the Shuswap River Picnic Site and parts of the Shuswap Falls Recreation Area are temporarily closed due to flooding. Please see map below for areas that are affected.

At the Shuswap River Picnic Site, the gate is closed and locked.

At the Shuswap Falls Recreation Area, a part of the recreation area that is immediately adjacent to the dam is flooded so there is no access to the viewing platform of the falls. The trail is re-routed around the flooded areas.