The province and five First Nations in the Nicola Valley are working on plans for the former visitor centre site near Merritt.
An Economic Development Protocol was signed today, and part of that is to prioritize a land transfer application for the “Gateway 286” project, which would see the former visitor centre property off of the Coquihalla change hands and later be redeveloped.
That property is currently Crown land, and Premier John Horgan says the process is underway to hopefully transfer that 25-acre piece of land to the five Nicola Valley First Nations.
“I think the non-indigenous community will see extraordinary benefits from this as well,” Horgan says. “And we’re anxious to get on this as quickly as possible, but process is process and we want to make sure that everyone who has an interest has an opportunity to say something about it.”
Horgan adds the province would contribute gaming grants to support the land transfer if it is successful.
“It will take some time, but the chiefs are patient. This is over a decade on this one parcel of land and decades and decades of lack of access to economic opportunity.”
The popular visitor centre off of Exit 286 of the Coquihalla closed its doors in January 2018.
The First Nations signed on to the protocol include the Lower Nicola Indian Band, Upper Nicola Band, Coldwater Indian Band, Shackan Indian Band and Nooaitch Indian Band.
The province and five Nicola Valley First Nations will be signing an Economic Development Protocol, included in that is a proposed “Gateway 286” project for the former visitor centre site off of #BCHwy5 just outside of #Merritt. @RadioNLNews #Kamloops pic.twitter.com/m9Scs2O61T
— Colton Davies (@ColtonDavies_) March 20, 2019
