Article written by Rod Link and published to Houston Today
District of Houston officials expect the nearly $2 million project to completely overhaul Bymac Park will be ready in time for this year’s salmon runs.
Work shifted into high gear this year with the awarding of a $1,48 million main construction contract to Andy Meints Contracting.
The total budget allocation is $150,000 for design work last year that was covered by the District’s annual resource benefits alliance grant, a $1 million provincial grant, $698,320 this year from the District’s resource benefits alliance allocation and $62,172 from the Northern Development Initiative Trust.
Cost areas include project management, contract administration, engineering and construction.
District of Houston chief administrative officer Gerald Pinchbeck said original plans changed during contract negotiations.
“Key scope changes during contract negotiations included changing the wash building from a pre-cast to stick-framed building, removing one pit toilet (that would have been along a trail, not the campground or day use area), and downsizing the water line from 2” to 1” (it only services water stations and the wash house, not individual sites),” he said.
The number of camping sites nearly doubles the old park configuration.
An overhaul of Bymac Park has been wanted for several years both for residents who enjoy the location and also for tourists.
Faced with the permanent closure of Canfor’s Houston sawmill and a resulting property tax loss of $1.2 million, the District of Houston has been focusing on expanding tourist opportunities and incentives.
