By Ian Cobb

e-KNOW

A Columbia Lake-side community’s inability to obtain a track crossing agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) is barring their ability to create a moorage facility.

Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) board of directors June 9 unanimously agreed to not proceed with Bylaw No. 2315 (Columbia Lake/Timber Springs Community Association), which if approved would have rezoned the surface of Columbia Lake to permit a private community moorage facility, including a dock, overnight moorage and mooring buoys.

The rezoning application was initially made in June 2010 and the bylaw was read a third time by the board in July 2011.

“The bylaw had been held in abeyance pending receipt of confirmation that the applicants could acquire a Crown tenure over the foreshore of Columbia Lake and a crossing agreement with CPR over the railways tracks to access the lake,” reported RDEK Planning and Services Manager Andrew McLeod.

“Despite the Timber Springs Community Association’s best efforts over many years to engage with CPR, the railways company has been unresponsive. Because there is no crossing agreement a Crown tenure will not be issued, making the proposed zoning amendment unnecessary. In the event the community association is able to engage with CPR, they can reapply,” McLeod explained.

“It’s CP Rail that stopped the train on this one, literally,” said Electoral Area F Director Wendy Booth.

“It’s a shame. They (CPR) have gone from being difficult to deal with to impossible to deal with,” said District of Invermere Mayor Gerry Taft. “It’s strange that a private company has more rights than our citizens.”

Lead image: The crossing over CPR’s track at Columere Park, north of Timber Springs. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW

Article Share