No problem on rail trail

Photo: Okanagan Rail Trail

Remediation work was carried out to remove enviromental hazards ahead of construction of the Okanagan Rail Trail, between Kelowna and Coldstream, according to an official with the City of Kelowna.

Andrew Gibbs, inter-jurisdictional development team project manager, said CN Rail was required to conduct an environmental assessment of the former rail line as part of the purchase agreement with the trail partners, City of Kelowna, District of Lake Country, OKIB and North Okanagan Regional District.

“There was some remediation work done,” said Gibbs. “CN removed contaminated soil and it is now all okay.”

Gibbs' comments were made after a complaint to Castanet by Lake Country resident Patrick Ryan.

Ryan appeared before council in Lake Country ahead of the purchase of the rail line to warn of the dangers of chemicals in the soil, left there from the creosote sprayed on rail ties over the years.

“CN Rail was doing the environmental assessment. How can you allow that?” asked Ryan.

Ryan worked for BC Rail and CN Rail for years and was involved in union documentation of chemical contamination by the railways, he said.

“Creosote leeches into the ground. It should never be near a body of water,” Ryan insisted, claiming it has contaminated both Kalamalka and Wood lakes.

However the CN environmental study found that creosote in the lake was not an issue, Gibbs said.

Lake Country Mayor James Baker said the Ministry of the Environment signed off on the CN assessments.

“Creosote is non soluble. The site is not toxic. It is not a contaminated site. It will have a gravel cap and ultimately will be paved,” Baker said.

The mayor added that Ryan presented reams of material but none was applicable to the trail.

“We bought it on a provision it be brought up to environmental standards at an industrial level.”

Baker also rejected Ryan's claim that chemicals had affected fish in Wood Lake.

“The lake is phenomenal. We have a lot of Kokanee, which fluctuates depending on the cycle.”

The mayor said the lake did not have to be restocked like some other bodies of water.