The new Malahat Skywalk is expected to be completed by this summer. (Submitted graphic)

Malahat Skywalk expected to be complete by this summer

January 23, 2021 // by Robert Barron

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Construction is well underway on the new 650-metre elevated wooden pathway being built just north of the Malahat Summit.

Expected to be completed by late this spring or early summer, the Malahat Skywalk will feature an elevated wooden pathway constructed through an Arbutus forest leading to a gentle, accessible spiral ramp climbing to a 40-metre-high sightseeing lookout where visitors will enjoy magnificent views of the Finlayson Arm and distant coastal mountains.

The project will also see the construction of a welcome centre, retail stores and a coffee shop.

“People are really beginning to express interest in the project now that they see the columns being raised,” says Ken Bailey, general manager of the approximately $15-million Malahat Skywalk project.

“We hope the community will be proud of it when it’s completed and will want to share it with the world.”

Inspired by similar elevated forest walks in Europe, the elevated wooden pathway is intended to bring a world-class tourism experience to Southern Vancouver Island.

A.Spire by Nature, a company led by two of the founding partners in the successful Sea to Sky Gondola near Squamish, and the Malahat Nation have partnered in the Malahat Skywalk project, which will combine nature-based tourism with a cultural tourism experience.

About 25 workers from Kinsol, a local contracting company in Bamberton, are building the structure. “We are proud to be using local workers to build the project,” Bailey says.

Upon announcing the project, George Harry Jr., a councillor with the Malahat Nation, said the First Nation is proud to partner on the Malahat Skywalk project.

“Not only is it a tourism experience that speaks to sustainability and the connection to our land, but it will also provide opportunities for many generations of the Malahat Nation to come.

“We look forward to telling the stories of our people and welcoming the visitors to our community through the Malahat Skywalk experience.”

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