WALTER VOLOVSEK My work in trail development is strongly focused on developing a sense of local history. I was aware that Castlegar lacked something compared to other nearby, comparable cities. They all have heritage buildings or historic buildings because they had money for government offices and other sturdy buildings. Castlegar was off the beaten track. To compensate, we have other assets here. Certainly, one is the Columbia River, and as well we have a legacy of historic explorers and many others that traveled through Castlegar.
I think this river is definitely our fundamental strength. In discussing our history, I don’t think there was one topic where the river did not play a role. So, I believe the Columbia is key to understanding our history and our future. My work, as I hope to continue it, will be to keep emphasizing the importance of the river in the past, and the importance of preserving a river that still looks and functions like a river into the future. We are blessed to have something like 20 miles of natural river left here. Downstream of here, we’re into Lake Roosevelt, the Grand Coulee Dam’s reservoir.
In this stretch of the Columbia River, Castlegar remains a crossroads, retaining its greatest asset: a free-flowing Columbia River as it rounds the Tincup Rapids and runs on past its confluence here with the Kootenay River.