DEER LAKE, N.L. — The Newfoundland and Labrador Snowmobile Federation has been left with some last-minute repairs with winter approaching.
In a recent interview, general manager Tony Sheppard estimated there was in excess of $100,000 in damages at Goose Arm Brook and near Whitewash Road.
During the overnight and early morning hours of Nov 8, there was a significant and heavily concentrated rainfall in those areas.
Around 40 feet of road, from the abutment out, was washed out on one end of the bridge at Goose Arm Brook.
Fortunately, the bridge stayed intact.
The federation put in an additional six-foot culvert to take care of the overflow, as well as a couple of culverts on the north side of the bridge.
The repairs were completed.
Meanwhile, the 32-foot bridge at North Branch Brook was almost a total loss.
According to Sheppard, the federation is in the process of putting some steel together to increase the bridge to 62 feet.
He hopes that will be passable later this week.
"We're hoping to have everything back together before the season starts in earnest, although it's trying to push it right now obviously," he told The Western Star.
Unlike in years past, the federation won't be receiving funding to fix up the trails.
When trails suffered flood damage in January 2018, several municipalities also had damage. Municipalities were eligible for federal funding, which flowed into various organizations to fix infrastructure.
This time around, there was no municipal damage that qualified for emergency funding assistance, so there's no funding the federation can avail of.
The organization will have to rely on its trail pass money to conduct the repairs.
"We had a little bit of money put away for a rainy day," said Sheppard. "And it's alright that we do."