Rediscovering the ruins of a KVR tunnel near Naramata
A new generation of traffic will get to travel through the Kettle Valley Railway’s Adra Tunnel in Naramata.
The underground switchback was built 109 years ago to reduce the gradient for trains travelling between Kelowna and Penticton on the east side of Okanagan Lake. Railroad operations ceased decades ago, but hikers and cyclists have still been able to appreciate a bit of the derelict infrastructure, although most of the 487-meter tunnel is sealed off.
However a community group called the Woodwackers 2.0 has been working hard to reopen it for the past two years, and they have the support of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.
“This project is ignited by a strong sense of community passion, generosity, and purpose from the Woodwackers 2.0 and their supporters to make what has been a seemingly impossible task become possible,” area E director Adrienne Fedrigo said in a media release.
Engineering assessments have been completed and now it’s time for rock bolting and shotcrete work to stabilize the structure.
“The Adra Tunnel has been closed to the public for more than 40 years,” RDOS chair Mark Pendergraft said in the release. “Now, after months of exploratory work, fully funded and initiated by private donations and overseen by the Regional District, the full potential of the KVR may once again become a reality.”
The tunnel was built 109 years ago and it's the KVR's longest.
Volunteers have contributed thousands of hours collectively to clear 200 cubic metres of rock and debris. "This has enabled engineers to enter the tunnel and complete the initial safety assessment and advance feasibility work," the release says.
"The informal community network working to reopen the Adra Tunnel consists of residents and business owners from Penticton and Naramata. The group has been quietly working for the past two years to facilitate the reopening."
Over $300,000 in private donations have been raised to get the project to this point, and more funds will be needed.
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