Environment and Conservation
Municipal Affairs
Tourism, Culture and Recreation
March 4, 2011
Co-operative Effort Gets Damaged T’Railway Sections Reopened
All sections of the T’Railway Provincial Park closed as a result of damage sustained during Hurricane Igor have now been reopened. The engineering assessment of the damages incurred post Igor revealed approximately 250 sites in need of repair along a 380-kilometre section of the trail. As a result, the section of the T’Railway from Millertown Junction east to Long Harbour Road was closed to all pedestrian, ATV, snowmobile and vehicular traffic.
“The effects of the hurricane were widespread and there was expansive devastation along this section of the T’Railway Provincial Park,” said the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Environment and Conservation. “In conjunction with the Department of Municipal Affairs, emphasis was placed on repairing the damaged sections, as a part of the larger effort of rebuilding provincial infrastructure post Igor. We understand the important role the T’Railway plays in the lives of many outdoor enthusiasts, and I am grateful for the public’s patience during the repair phase.”
Seven contracts valued at more than $1 million were awarded in January to H&R Enterprises Limited, Southern Construction Limited, Cabot Industries Limited, GMK Equipment Rentals Limited, and Stuckless & Stuckless for repairs to the T’Railway. The scope of work involved repairs of numerous washouts, deep trenching, landslides, and unstable trail bed shoulders.
“All companies involved in the inspection and repairs are to be commended,” said the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister Responsible for Fire and Emergency Services. “Their diligent work and tireless effort has restored our treasured T’Railway to the great public asset it has always been. Hurricane Igor may have bruised and battered our province, but the resiliency of our people continues to shine through.”
“Winter tourism is an important aspect of the overall tourism product for our province, and the T’Railway Provincial Park plays a significant role,” said the Honourable Terry French, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “I am very pleased with the tremendous effort to restore the affected sections of the T’Railway, and winter activities, such as snowmobiling, can now resume and be enjoyed for the remainder of the season.”
While some portions of the T’Railway along this section may have appeared to have minimal damage, public safety was of paramount importance for the Provincial Government.
“We can understand how trail users may have thought they could maneuver along a small section of the T’Railway in the middle of the day in ideal conditions, but it could have potentially been a different situation in the dark or if visibility was affected because of poor weather,” said Minister Wiseman. “Public safety will always be our priority, and it was incumbent upon us, as a government, to ensure this safety when the T’Railway was compromised.”
The T’Railway Provincial Park was proclaimed on July 10, 1997. It runs along the main stem of the former Canadian National Railway from St. John’s to Port aux Basques, spanning a distance of approximately 880 kilometres.
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Media contacts:
| Melony O’Neill Director of Communications Department of Environment and Conservation 709-729-2575, 689-0928 moneill@gov.nl.ca |
Cheryl Gullage Public Relations Specialist Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador 709-729-0857, 631-9962 cherylgullage@gov.nl.ca |
Diana Quinton Director of Communications Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation 709-729-0928, 631-8155 dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca |
2011 03 04 9:30 a.m.