A hearing with the volunteers who upgraded the Eagle Pass Lookout cabin is now being planned following a provincial investigation into the redevelopment of the structure.
Volunteers with the project have been told their actions could result in a fine of $10,000 and demolition of the structure.
In October 2017, the province launched an investigation into the restoration of the cabin after volunteers took on the project with what they say was verbal approval from the Ministry of Forests manager.
In a previous interview with the Observer, volunteer Rene St. Onge said he attempted to acquire provincial approval to reconstruct the cabin, but was told by a manager with FrontCounter BC in Kamloops it wasn鈥檛 needed because the work would be done on an existing structure.
鈥淲hat they need to do is say, 鈥榶ou know what, there was a miscommunication,鈥欌�� said St. Onge. 鈥溾�楾here was permission for this cabin, it鈥檚 beautiful, thank you very much.鈥� That鈥檚 all you need to do.鈥�
The cabin sits an elevation of approximately 7,500 feet, atop a rugged, rocky mountain peak. The cabin is a 14- by 14-foot engineered refurbishment of the original Eagle Pass Summit fire lookout, originally constructed in 1922. Carried out over the past two years by volunteers and donations, this reconstruction project was the subject of concern for the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development when it was discovered the work was done without official permits.
A stop work order was issued on Sept. 5, 2017 by the ministry, and applied to 鈥渁ll persons undertaking construction activities on this building.鈥�
In a statement from the ministry, the next step will be an 鈥渙pportunity to be heard鈥� hearing in May and, following that, a statutory decision-maker will consider all the evidence and determine whether the cabin should be removed or modified and the site remediated.
鈥淎t their discretion, the statutory decision-maker could also impose administrative penalties of up to $10,000,鈥� says the ministry statement.
鈥淭he ministry is unable to provide further comment until this hearing process is complete.鈥�
newsroom@saobserver.net
Like us on and follow us on
