Managing Construction Impacts

Reservoir drawdown: May through August 2012 and 2013

To complete the work on the right bank, Hayward Lake Reservoir will be drawn down, beginning in May 2012. To minimize impacts, BC Hydro worked hard to reduce the number of drawdowns from a possible 17 to 2.

The drawdowns are scheduled from May through August 2012 and 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 drawdowns will comply with the conditions of the Water Licence and the Water Use Plan. They are required for construction related to the right abutment work.

The dog off-leash area may be required for construction use

Road and recreation closures

Pre-construction January to April 2012

The following closures and traffic changes are in effect to ensure the safety of the public and workers:

• Hayward Street over Ruskin Dam is closed west of the Ruskin Recreation/Picnic Site to all motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrian traffic.
• The northbound lane of Wilson Street is closed. Traffic lights are in place on Wilson Street for alternating single lane traffic.
• The Loop Trail around the Hayward Lake Reservoir cannot be completed due to the closure of the Ruskin Dam crossing. The Reservoir Trail and the Railway Trail remain open.

Construction Spring 2012 to 2018

The British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) recently granted approval of the Ruskin Dam and Powerhouse Upgrade Project. When BC Hydro begins construction later this spring, the following closures will be 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.

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-summer 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.

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