McLure ferry celebrating centennial anniversary

KAMLOOPS – The iconic McLure ferry near Kamloops is celebrating 100 years of service.

The little boat that could has travelled along the North Thompson River from the east shore for a century now, and is one of the few remaining reaction ferries running in the province.

Reaction ferries were a low-effort option to transporting livestock, people, and equipment, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. They claim the boats simply ride the current of the river, making it an obvious choice for quick transport back in the 20th century. The McLure ferry only takes about five minutes to make its crossing.

According to the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, due to the development of roads these inland ferries have seen less and less usage. They state there was once more than 35 of these ferries in service in B.C., and now only five remain.

The McLure ferry will be honored by the province with a provincial coat of arms on the boat, and a plaque at the ferry landing 43 kilometers north of Kamloops.

The province used to rely heavily on river travel, but now just 14 inland ferries are operated by the province, says the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. Of those, five are cable ferries, which use cables to pull them across a body of water, five are free-running ferries, which use diesel or electricity. Five are reaction ferries just like the McLure, and one is a tug and barge. The ministry states that between these ferries, approximately 1.5 million vehicles and almost 2.4 million people were transported last year.

The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure states that in 2017 and 2018 the McLure ferry transported 18,000 vehicles and 32,000 passengers. They say they look forward to many more years of service with the vessel.

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