At an elevation of approximately 7,700 feet, atop a rugged, rocky mountain peak, sits a solitary cabin.

Taped to its door is a stop work order, issued by the B.C. government.

The notice states it was issued on Sept. 5, 2017 by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, and applies to 香蕉视频直播渁ll persons undertaking construction activities on this building.香蕉视频直播�

The 香蕉视频直播渂uilding香蕉视频直播� is a 14 by 14-foot engineered refurbishment of the original Eagle Pass Summit fire lookout, originally constructed in 1922. Carried out over the past two years by volunteers and donations, this reconstruction project is currently under investigation by the ministry.

Taped to the door on top of the stop work notice is a letter by Splatsin First Nation Title and Rights/Fisheries and Wildlife manager Stuart Lee.

In the letter, Lee states he has reviewed the 香蕉视频直播渃ommendable efforts香蕉视频直播� of the volunteers, and he has found the engineered repair to exceed building codes for such a structure.

香蕉视频直播淭he Splatsin approves of the 香蕉视频直播淐ivic Good香蕉视频直播� the Lookout will provide in its service to hikers and back-country users from the Splatsin and Canadians alike,香蕉视频直播� writes Lee.

Onside with the Splatsin are the District of Sicamous, the City of Enderby, Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo and Sicamous and District Chamber of Commerce and other groups and individuals, who have asked the B.C. government to not destroy the reconstructed shelter 香蕉视频直播� .

The request was delivered in person to ministry representatives at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention by Sicamous Coun. Gord Bushell and Columbia Shuswap Regional District Area E director Rhona Martin. The response they received wasn香蕉视频直播檛 as encouraging as hoped for.

香蕉视频直播淲e pleaded our case, showed them photos, gave them letters of support香蕉视频直播�They香蕉视频直播檙e going to look into it,香蕉视频直播� said Bushell香蕉视频直播淏ut we didn香蕉视频直播檛 get that feeling where they said, 香蕉视频直播榳hoa, we香蕉视频直播檒l stop everything until we get a handle on it.香蕉视频直播� They can香蕉视频直播檛 once the investigation has started.香蕉视频直播�

Kyllo applauds the effort and workmanship that went into the reconstruction. And while he wants people to follow the rules and make the appropriate permit applications, he said the volunteers were not made aware such approvals were required.

香蕉视频直播淎lthough I have not spoken directly with anybody in compliance and enforcement, my understanding is there was some comments made, I believe at a meeting last year, where a compliance and enforcement officer made some comments where if this had occurred in his area or jurisdiction, he香蕉视频直播檇 burn it down,香蕉视频直播� said Kyllo. 香蕉视频直播淭hat type of commentary certainly isn香蕉视频直播檛 helpful. I think what really the focus of the communication now is, it香蕉视频直播檚 unfortunate the appropriate permits weren香蕉视频直播檛 applied for. It looks like a very well-built and sound structure, and tearing it down certainly would not prove to serve anybody other than maybe somebody香蕉视频直播檚 ego.香蕉视频直播�

Caught in the middle of this bureaucratic brouhaha is Sicamous resident Rene St. Onge, the person who got the ball rolling to save the historic lookout. He said the effort actually began years back in a visit to forestry officials in Vernon.

香蕉视频直播淲e talked to three or four officials there who said, 香蕉视频直播榥o, they couldn香蕉视频直播檛 give approval for that, even though it was an existing cabin,香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈�� said St. Onge. 香蕉视频直播淭hey said FrontCounter BC could, so they called over and I went there with a friend and met the manager香蕉视频直播� We had a great talk, talked for about an hour, and he was totally excited about it.香蕉视频直播�

During this meeting, St. Onge asked about financial support, knowing the project would be a costly endeavour, but was told none was available. On the upside, St. Onge said he was told, 香蕉视频直播業f you香蕉视频直播檙e building a new cabin or road or trail, you need to do an application, but he said this is existing, if you want to clean it up and put the roof back on, awesome. He gives verbal approval.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈��

St. Onge said he left it at that for a while and watched as the lookout continued to deteriorate.

香蕉视频直播淎nd then a young gentleman from Revelstoke passed away and I was like, that place needs to be cleaned up, it香蕉视频直播檚 not safe and it香蕉视频直播檚 such a beautiful spot with so much history,香蕉视频直播� said St. Onge. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e got to bring it back to life.

St. Onge said he became good friends with a helicopter pilot who got an online fundraiser started.

香蕉视频直播淗e raised about 10 grand 香蕉视频直播� it was way under.香蕉视频直播�

As word continued to get out about the project, however, more people came onboard with donations of money, materials, labour and more.

Reconstruction work began in the summer of 2016. Since then, the rock wall and foundation was professionally rebuilt. Twelve-inch Douglas fir timbers were used in the rebuilding of the upper portion of the shelter 香蕉视频直播� the roof rebuilt to carry up to 100,000 pounds. A proper lightning rod was installed. Approximately $4,000 worth of windows were donated. Another donation of $5,000 included a vintage wood cookstove.

香蕉视频直播淧robably about $45,000 into it, and we香蕉视频直播檝e lifted up about 25,000 pounds of materials to reconstruct it, and we香蕉视频直播檙e building it stronger so it will hopefully 100 years,香蕉视频直播� said St. Onge.

Responding to accusations that all this work was done to benefit a few backcountry motorized vehicle users, St. Onge calls them 100 per cent wrong. He said access to the lookout is hike-in only, and stated emphatically that it香蕉视频直播檚 door will never be locked.

香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e building it for a legacy to the people that built the place, manned the place, worked there,香蕉视频直播� said St. Onge.

Asked about the investigation, St. Onge expects it will be dragged out into next year.

Not only will this hold up finishing touches planned for the lookout (provided it香蕉视频直播檚 not torn down), St. Onge sees this bureaucratic impasse holding up an accommodation management system for the lookout which, as a positive outcome of this controversy, has garnered significant interest.

香蕉视频直播淭he one weekend we were up there cleaning up materials and taking it back down, some ladders and stuff, there was 25 people in one day who came up there香蕉视频直播�,香蕉视频直播� said St. Onge. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 the same as the snowmobile chalets here 香蕉视频直播� if some Albertans come here and want to use the chalet, they check with the chamber and say, 香蕉视频直播楬ey, can we use the chalet?香蕉视频直播� and they say yeah, you香蕉视频直播檝e got it. If anybody else calls, they can say there香蕉视频直播檚 already somebody else in there. There香蕉视频直播檚 no charge. It香蕉视频直播檚 just good for tourism.香蕉视频直播�

Assuming cooler head prevail and the province agrees to leave the lookout alone, St. Onge hopes that long-term upkeep remains a volunteer effort, and not on the backs of taxpayers.

香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 want anybody to make money off of this 香蕉视频直播� we want it to be a volunteer project and everything donated,香蕉视频直播� said St. Onge. 香蕉视频直播淲e have a brass plaque, it香蕉视频直播檚 about a $2,000 plaque being made, and everybody who has helped out and volunteered is going on it

香蕉视频直播淚t was built by really tough men who believed in it. We香蕉视频直播檙e not tough, but we want to just do it without taxing the people.香蕉视频直播�

calling on the ministry to leave the lookout as is had more than 7,000 signatures as of Monday, Oct. 9.

lachlan@saobserver.net
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