Snowmobile trails heavily damaged by melting snow and floodwaters in western Newfoundland earlier this year are finally on the mend.
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Many of the trails frequently used by snowmobilers, and some of the infrastructure found on them, were washed out or damaged in the major weather event during the weekend of Jan. 13.
After the snow melted in the spring, the Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile Federation was able to better assess the damage and the repairs needed to bring the trails back up to snuff.
The federation applied for disaster relief funding to help pay for the work. Working with Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador, which administers the federal government’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements through a provincial disaster financial assistance program, the federation was able to tap into around $600,000
The federation then divided the repairs into a dozen projects and hired contractors to do the various jobs. So far, four of the projects have been completed.
The federation is expecting to have the rest, including the washed-out bridge at Goose Arm Brook, done in time for the coming snowmobiling season.
Fact box
A list of the projects:
Projects completed to date:
- Bottomless Pond, Sandbar Brook and Barbell Pond
- Island Pond (North Lake) Road
- Taylor’s Brook Road
- Wiltondale
To be done:
- 45th Brook, Marble Mountain
- Frenchman’s Pond
- Goose Arm Brook North
- Goose Arm Brook
- McKenzie’s Road
- Middle Brook Bridge
- Pasadena (North Harbour to Pynn’s Brook)
- Baie Verte areas (this project has two separate areas wrapped up into one project)
Source: Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile Federation