Trail users of all ages are enjoying Quesnel’s Riverfront Trail, which has been cleared of ice.
The trail beginning at Ceal Tingley Park, located at the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers, reopened Thursday, March 10.
It had been closed after being encased in a thick sheet of ice from a winter flood in early January resulting from an ice buildup along the Quesnel River.
Gloria Weber of Quesnel smiled while she walked the ice-free trail early Monday afternoon as the sun shined, providing a warm day.
She had been waiting a while for it to reopen and likes taking a stroll down it twice a week.
Also having fun were Tyler Logie and Daisy Hebert with their young son Aaron.
The snow and ice was recently removed by crews with the city’s public works department and heavy equipment.
“There was a lot of ice buildup close to the Quesnel River Bridge, between the Quesnel River Bridge and the Johnston Bridge Loop,” said director of emergency services Ron Richert.
“There was also a lot of ice that was built up onto the Riverfront Trail itself, making it just a hazard for people to walk.”
A couple of flights were taken during the ice jam and before temperatures had warmed up to better assess the situation and identify areas of potential concern.
Many people were quite surprised by the amount of ice.
“It was our first time ever dealing with this amount of ice, so obviously we took up a lot of data, we did a lot of assessments so we’ll be better prepared for the future,” Richert said.
As temperatures continue to rise, he said the snowpack in the mountains and spring freshet is the only remaining concern now.
Fencing and guard railing that was damaged on the Riverfront Trail by the ice will be repaired soon.
Read More: UPDATE: Johnston Bridge Loop closed due to flooding
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