Owners of the parcel of land at St. Mary Lake are considering closing down public access to the park, a popular destination for residents and tourists.
The property on the east end of St. Mary Lake was sold by Tembec to Mt. Evans Land Company Ltd. in 2017, run by the Bronson family and one other, who purchased the land with the intention of eventually subdividing it.
Prior to the sale, the land was rezoned to permit some residential subdivision, with the condition that none could occur unless the landowner and transferred it to the Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK).
At that time there were no plans to subdivide the land in the near future, so the new owners offered to enter into an agreement that would allow public access to continue at the lake.
A Licence of Occupation agreement for the park area was established between Mt. Evans and the RDEK in 2018 for a 10-year period, with renewal for another 10 years unless notice provided by either party three months in advance.
Mt. Evans submitted a subdivision plan in 2020 for four large residential acreages, ranging from 31 hectares to 83 hectares, plus a 6.1 hectare park, that was approved by the RDEK and the Provincial Agricultural Land Commission (ALC). Andrew Bronson, of Mt. Evans, said the Ministry of Transportation and Transit told them they would approve the plan, once the Ministry of Forests signed off on the road requirements.
Bronson said they had thought they were required to improve the road to seven metres, but then two years ago, the Ministry of Forests told them the requirement was that a roughly 1.7 kilometre section had to be improved to a nine-metre wide, gravel-capped road. He said this will cost Mt. Evans upwards of $500,000.
According to a May 28, 2025 information report from the RDEK, Section 15 of the Land Title Act includes requirements that public access via a highway or public road be provided to all parcels within a subdivision and as required by the Provincial Approving Officer to lands beyond.
The Ministry of Forests has identified a nine-metre wide running surface width on St. Mary River, Hellroaring Creek and Meachen Creek roads, as they are all industrial-use roads and are currently under Industrial Use Permits with Canfor.
"The Ministry has advised RDEK staff that there are no exemptions or discretionary approvals from Section 15 regulations and if a party is subdividing, this section must apply," the RDEK report read.
Bronson feels that building the road that wide is unnecessary and unreasonable. In a presentation Mt. Evans made to the RDEK Planning Meeting on June 12, 2025, he highlighted that: Section 15(1) of the Land Title Act (Regulations) allows the Engineering Officer to approve Forest Service Roads (FSRs) that are between 7.5 metres and nine metres wide if the maximum width of vehicles is restricted to 3.05 metres.
"The Engineering Officer has refused to approve on this basis and is demanding the FSR be upgraded to nine metres," the report read.
The report indicates that Mt. Evans is prepared to grant a covenant on title confirming that the "RDEK is not required to maintain or repair these roads" and "restricting the width of vehicles to 3.05 metres if this does not interfere with Canfor operations (an oversized permit may be required for oversized).
The report stated Mt. Evans would also be prepared to put up signs warning drivers of hazardous road conditions, limited vehicle width permitted, at their cost.
Bronson asked the RDEK to provide a letter of support of their application highlighting "the benefits the RDEK will receive" and the downsides if not approved, which would mean the closure of public access to the park.
Bronson said Mt. Evans is considering giving notice to end their agreement with the RDEK and close off access to the park. In addition to the costly and what he believes to be unnecessary road requirements, Bronson also has cited issues surrounding liability, including fires left burning on the beach, people camping overnight and garbage left behind.
香蕉视频直播淭housands of people come to this park every year and I think most people assume that it香蕉视频直播檚 public property and we are getting very close to closing that down," Bronson said. "We don香蕉视频直播檛 want to see it happen, but we香蕉视频直播檙e tired of taking some of the liability of having people on our property at the park."
Bronson added Mt. Evans receives no compensation for the public access to their land. In addition to seeking support from the RDEK, he hopes putting the story out to the public could result in finding a new solution, that a third-entity will emerge that could either fix the road, or help secure another deal.
He has also discussed the issue with Columbia River-Revelstoke MLA Scott McInnis.
"The tricky part for Andrew here is that this is legislation, that if you are going to subdivide and have access to private property, the road has to be nine metres wide," McInnis said. "I香蕉视频直播檝e met with the Ministry about this and unfortunately the Ministry doesn香蕉视频直播檛 do one-offs around legislation for things like this.
"It sucks, because widening a road is extremely expensive and I totally understand Andrew香蕉视频直播檚 frustration with that, but the difficult thing is this is the law. There is an aspect I understand, because if there香蕉视频直播檚 logging taking place the road has to be wide enough for private residents to get back and forth and all this other stuff.
"But there香蕉视频直播檚 not going to be a way around widening the road, that香蕉视频直播檚 a fact and this is the tough piece."
McInnis added he will be meeting with the St. Mary香蕉视频直播檚 Community group later this month to discuss this issue.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e obviously very concerned,香蕉视频直播� McInnis said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd I香蕉视频直播檓 concerned as a resident here too, that the park is going to be closed. Understanding all sides of it, yes the community is frustrated because they will lose access to a wonderful recreation spot here, but at the same time, it香蕉视频直播檚 private land and Andrew has done, I think, a piece of good will by maintaining access to that, but at the same time I understand his frustration as far as the liability goes.
"People are leaving campfires burning, people are camping and leaving garbage. It香蕉视频直播檚 difficult for him as well and as the owner of the land, he香蕉视频直播檚 within his right to protect his own interests if he feels like the liability for him is too great."
McInnis said that at this time he's not sure where this will go, or what the solution may be.
The Bulletin will report more on this story as it develops.
