The BC government awarded a contract for the destruction of historic Holt Creek Trestle in the Cowichan Valley on September 20 — one day before provincial election writs were issued.

And now that the writs have been issued, no one in government is prepared to talk about the bridge.

“During the provincial election and interregnum period, government is in a caretaker mode and all Government of B.C. communications are limited to critical health and public safety information, as well as statutory requirements,” the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said in an email statement Monday to sixmountains.ca.

Provincial bid documents posted on-line show that the contract for the demolition of wooden Holt Creek Trestle and replacement with a single-span steel bridge went to the low bidder, Formula Contractors Ltd. of Prince George, at $4,468,973.

Hundreds of people have posted on-line their concerns about the pending destruction of Holt Creek Trestle.

Chris Istace, a North Cowichan councillor and representative on the Cowichan Valley Regional District, told sixmountains.ca he, too, was disappointed to hear the trestle would be destroyed.

“The Cowichan Valley Trail is such an incredible asset from a historical perspective and also as an active transportation route for locals but most notably of recent years a highly sought out recreational tourism route in the international bike packing community,” he said.

While the ministry has its reasons for demolitioning the trestle, Istace said, “this was one project that could have benefited greatly from a bit more community engagement and feedback.”

The ministry has said a steel replacement was selected for Holt Creek “based on functionality, constructability, avoiding in-stream works, as well as cost and ease of long-term maintenance.”

Associated Engineering looked at five bridges in the Cowichan Valley, including Holt Creek, during a 2018 assessment for the ministry.

The consultant said they are among the “few remaining examples of significant engineering works associated with early twentieth century transportation history on Vancouver Island.”

The “large and complex timber trestles provide an evocative window into the logging history of British Columbia and are recognized heritage resources of the Cowichan Valley Regional District,” the consultant added.

The ministry says the Holt Creek Trestle opened in 1922 and served as a rail line until 1991 when CN Rail handed the line over to the province. The timber structure sits 34 metres above Holt Creek and spans 73 metres.

More reading: https://www.sixmountains.ca/article/67521708-bfea-47dd-97ef-ab9c78733b32

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— Larry Pynn, Oct. 1, 2024