Various Kootenay groups and individuals are working together to restore sections of the iconic Dewdney Trail that was completed through the mountainous Kootenay region 150 years ago.

6guys w dewd trail sign

The restored Dewdney Trail sign is now standing at the trailhead on Highway 22 in Paterson. Thanks to funding from Regional District of Kootenay Boundary Area B, work went ahead with new footings and post for the historical sign. Pictured are Graham Jones, Allen Martin, Rob Simms, Joe Letoria and Paul Allen.

In response to the need to preserve, conserve, restore and protect the historic trail, the Dewdney Trail Heritage Society was established this summer.   A meeting in June 2015 in Castlegar to organize a group to spearhead efforts to fix, protect and promote the trail as an attraction for tourists and locals alike drew an excellent response of more than two dozen keen individuals.

The initial work parties on the trail scheduled for early August were postponed due to the extreme fire hazard during the summer, but the group is now well-established and raring to go with repairs to parts of the trail, as well as working with provincial government staff to include the trail in their recreation and heritage initiatives.

See the Trail Times article by Sherry Regnier on the new society and its ambition plans for the Dewdney Trail. http://www.traildailytimes.ca/ourtown/320291801.html

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first page of a story by historian Craig Weir on the Dewdney Trail in Cominco Magazine in 1956