Last Spike rest area in Shuswap getting $70,000 facelift

SICAMOUS – Big improvements are on the way to the Last Spike rest area on the Trans Canada Highway near Craigellachie.

These improvements to washroom facilities and the surrounding area are estimated to cost $70,000, according to a media release from the Ministry of Transportation.

"This rest area is at the site of the historic Last Spike – which signalled the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885," Minister of Transportation Todd Stone says in the release.

The restrooms will be closed until mid-December. Crew members will be replacing all fixtures, water tanks and repairing the concrete floor. Portable toilets will be available during the closure. Painting and final touches are scheduled to be competed at the beginning of March. Crews will also undertake brushing of the grounds around the rest area.

"This is not only a popular rest stop for tourists and visitors alike, it is a historic site that is steeped in Canadian history," Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo says in the release. "It is great to see improvements be made to the washroom facilities and surrounding area, to preserve this location and allow users to enjoy this spot for years to come."

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