The City of Kimberley will be removing the Peak to Platzl staircase in the coming weeks and permanently closing a portion of the Peak to Platzl pathway between lower Gerry Sorenson Way and Norton Avenue later this fall.

This follows an extensive engineering review that identified significant safety concerns along the route.

The staircase has been closed since 2024, during which time the city undertook additional analysis of both the staircase and the trail.

Geotechnical, civil, and structural engineers reviewed the site and concluded that there is no feasible solution that would bring the existing route up the pathway or stairs to modern safety standards in a cost-effective manner.

“This is not a decision that council has made lightly,” said Mayor Don McCormick. “We recognize that the Peak to Platzl route has been a valued connection between the Alpine area and downtown for many years. However, public safety must come first.”

Engineering assessments identified movement in the staircase foundations, concerns about slope stability at multiple locations, and failure of portions of the retaining wall system that supports the trail. The review determined that repairing the route would require substantial investment with no certainty that a sustainable long-term solution could be achieved.

The area has experienced slope instability in the past. A landslide in 2012 moved an estimated 150 cubic metres of material, equivalent to approximately 15 full dump trucks or more than 1,200 curbside organics carts.

While the existing route will be lost, pedestrian access between the ski hill and downtown will remain available.

The alternative route to the Platzl from the ski hill will use Norton Avenue, Swan Avenue, and Wallinger Avenue.

The city will improve the existing Swan Avenue pathway by grading and paving the unpaved section along Swan Avenue and will maintain the route year-round. An engineering review found this route to be the most practical and cost-effective option available at this time.

Once improvements to the alternative route have been completed, the impacted section of the trail will be permanently closed. Signage and physical barriers will be installed at both ends, and the route will no longer be maintained, including during the winter months.

Planning and design work for the full decommissioning will take place over the coming months, with construction currently scheduled for summer 2027.

The city understands that many residents will be disappointed by the loss of a well- used trail connection.

“This was not the outcome anyone hoped for,” said Nik Morissette, Senior Manager of Operations. “After extensive review, engineers concluded there is no feasible solution that would allow the existing route to safely remain in service. Our focus is now on delivering improvements to the alternate route and maintaining a safe connection between the resort area and downtown.”

The city will continue to evaluate alternative long-term active-transportation opportunities to improve connections between the ski hill and downtown. The city is currently updating its Active Transportation Network Plan and will consider this connection as part of that review.

Additional information, maps, frequently asked questions, and project updates will be available on the City’s website at www.kimberley.ca.

City of Kimberley photos

City of Kimberley

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