Four Years in the Making… The Elko Boat Ramp–Take Out Project Has Started!

In partnership with the RDEK Area A & B, construction is finally set to begin on the renewal of the Elko Boat Ramp–Take Out along the Elk River. Work will start September 8, 2025 and completed in October. The boat ramp will be open sooner, stay tuned for updates.

Once complete, the site will feature and engineering boat ramp (take-out only with dam below), improved access and parking, new signage, a toilet, and a picnic table — making it easier and more enjoyable for both locals and visitors to experience the river and the recreation area. These improvements also support access for the Elko Fire Department and CanFor for their permitted water needs.  The RDEK Board of Directors approved the site under their Regional Parks program in 2023.

The new signage will provide important river safety information, fish etiquette, and a detailed map of the Elk River, along with geological and pre-historic heritage content, and cultural content from the Ktunaxa First Nation.

In addition, the AmbassadorWILD team, contracted by the RDEK Parks Department will help care for the area seasonally. The team will provide education to visitors and locals about responsible river use and Leave No Trace etiquette, while also assisting with ongoing clean-up and maintenance to keep the site safe and welcoming.

The Elko Boat Ramp–Take Out is the 5th site to be worked on as part of the Elk River Regional Infrastructure and Amenity Initiative (known as the Elk River Initiative), under Tourism Fernie's RDEK Area A Sustainable Tourism Program. This location is one of the most important take-out points on the Elk River for both fly fishing, boating and paddling given the BC Hydro dam below. The Elko project has been a true community collaboration, led by Tourism Fernie Society with support from:

• Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK)
• Province of BC’s Targeted Regional Tourism Development Initiative
• Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC (FFSBC)
• Elk Valley Resources (formerly Teck Coal)
• Columbia Basin Trust & ReDi 
• CanFor
• BC Hydro
• TC Energy
• Elk River Alliance

Back in 2020, the Province of BC announced a new tourism development grant to support regional projects. Thanks to the initial proposal work by Paul Samycia of Elk River Guiding, contributions from many local guides, and support from the Elk River Alliance, a funding application to support improvements to Elk River access sites was submitted — and in 2021 the Province awarded $300,000.

That funding was further leveraged with contributions from RDEK, ORCBC, CBT, FFSBC, TECK/EVR and more to support the Elk River and other key sustainable tourism projects across the valley.

Over the past three years, the project team has navigated land ownership confirmations, partnerships, government land-use approvals, federal environmental reviews for work in fish-bearing waters, as well as engineering and design work. While September can be a busy time on the river, it is also the only window permitted for in-river construction.

Thanks to the efforts of McElhanney, Core Heritage Consulting, and Gally Equipment Services, the project is now shovel-ready and moving forward. Other access sites along the Elk River — including Morrissey, Olsen Pit, and Hosmer — have already seen improvements. The Elko site is the next big piece of this multi-year effort to improve river access and amenities for all users.  The team is working up the valley on future projects.

For more information about Tourism Fernie’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy, the Tourism Master Plan, or the Elk River Access Improvements Project, please email [email protected].

Tourism Fernie’s Sustainable Tourism Strategy and AmbassadorWILD program won the Best Community Project Award from the BC Economic Development Association in 2023!