By Josh Kozelj, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter FRASER VALLEY CURRENT

The Fraser Canyon has many natural attractionsB次元官网网址攎ountains, forests and a fast-moving riverB次元官网网址攂ut two man-made objects are showcasing the route for travellers and potential tourists not familiar with a road less travelled.

Two new highway signs were unveiled along Highway 1 in Lytton and Yale in August. They serve as waymarkers along the once-bustling corridor, highlighting the canyonB次元官网网址檚 Indigenous and settler history while pointing visitors to local stops of interest.

The signs marked the first milestone in a collaboration between local governments, the province and Indigenous peoples to revitalize tourism in a region hit hard by slow growth and several natural disasters in recent years.

B次元官网网址淚 can tell you when I drive by those signs, I have a sense of pride,B次元官网网址� said Jackie Tegart, the former Fraser-Nicola MLA who began lobbying for the project in 2019.

The signs were the first priority outlined in the Fraser Canyon Tourism Master Plan, a document that was finalized in March 2021 and expected to guide all tourism-related projects in the corridor until 2030. And the planB次元官网网址檚 goal is ambitious and dauntingB次元官网网址攖he reversal of a travel trend that has been taking place for nearly 40 years.

One highway opens, another slows

In the 1970s and 80s, the communities that lined the Fraser Canyon were small but vibrant, thanks to the highway that ran through them. At the time, Highway 1 was the quickest way to get between Vancouver, most of the Okanagan, northern parts of the province, and Alberta.

Then came the Coquihalla. The highway cut more than an hour from the journey between Hope and the Interior hubs of Kamloops and Kelowna and quickly became the busiest mountain highway in the province.

Since 1986, the year the highway opened, the Coquihalla has become the preferred route for Lower Mainland travellers going to the interior and Alberta, and those making the reverse trip. ItB次元官网网址檚 faster, has more lanes, and is far less twisty than the Fraser Canyon highway, which is now even referred to as `the road less travelledB次元官网网址� in government-funded marketing materials.

B次元官网网址淢any people will go to the interior using the Coquihalla because itB次元官网网址檚 quick and convenient,B次元官网网址� said Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of BC. (Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon does retain one advantage: it never climbs high into the mountains, meaning it often experiences rain when the Coquihalla gets snow.)

The new highway led to fewer tourists along the Fraser Canyon, which forced businesses to close and many residents out of town in the 1980s.

The population of Ashcroft, for example, peaked at nearly 2,200 residents in 1981B次元官网网址攆ive years before the Coquihalla openedB次元官网网址攁ccording to provincial census data. Cache Creek, which now hosts about 970 people, topped at just over 1,300 residents in 1981 too. And LyttonB次元官网网址檚 population also peaked in the 1970s before steadily declining.

Although the Coquihalla is one major explanation for the drop in tourism, itB次元官网网址檚 not the only reason. Recent natural disasters have dissuaded travel to the corridor.

Within six months in 2021, a wildfire destroyed 90 per cent of downtown Lytton and a series of atmospheric rivers closed the Fraser-Thompson Corridor from Spences Bridge to Hope for two months. Last yearB次元官网网址檚 Kookipi Creek wildfire also burned down 27 properties along Highway 1.

(Tegart said the new signs were not going to go up until the Lytton rebuild was underway. Rebuilding efforts began in December 2023. Since then, a handful of residents have returned to homes, but rebuilding efforts have been plagued by high costs linked to provincial archeology rules.)

B次元官网网址淢any people were passing by the Fraser Canyon,B次元官网网址� Tegart said. And for those who did vention up the highway, a lack of signage left many remaining businesses and attractions hidden to travellers.

Open for business

Inadequate signage is not a new concern for highways in B.C.

In 2022, the Tourism Industry Association of B.C. found many signs across the province were poorly maintained and rarely acknowledged Indigenous communities and attractions. The group also reported that there are few guidelines on how often highway signs should be inspected, cleaned or replaced.

The lack of maintenance reflects budgeting constraints and the size of the province, Judas said. There are many remote areas in B.C., and especially during the winter months, the signs can be tough to maintain.

It remains to be seen whether the signs will increase tourism in the Fraser Canyon. However, Judas said they canB次元官网网址檛 hurt.

B次元官网网址淭he signs are attractive, theyB次元官网网址檙e noticeable, they tell a bit of a story. And to me, it enhances the visitor experience as theyB次元官网网址檙e travelling through the province,B次元官网网址� he said.

The new signsB次元官网网址攚ritten in English, HalqB次元官网网址檈meylem, and Nle?kepmxcinB次元官网网址攈onour the Indigenous history of the land and its Gold Rush legacy. The blended history was made in consultation with local Elders, who greenlighted the use of Indigenous language on the signs.

Since September, Lytton Mayor Denise OB次元官网网址機onnor says she has noticed a number of people interacting with the new sign south of townB次元官网网址攁 positive sign for a community looking to get its local economy up and running.

Unlike the new sign in Yale, which sits at a frequently used highway rest stop, she noted the Lytton one practically sits on its own. There are no washrooms or rest stop-like features, but visitors are still keen to check it out.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just unbelievable the number of tourists that are stopping already,B次元官网网址� OB次元官网网址機onnor said. She noted there is more work that needs to be done to attract tourists, who may be weary of travelling to a community recently ravaged by a fire. But OB次元官网网址機onnor expects the sign to support that push.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 one piece,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 think a lot more has to happen, but itB次元官网网址檚 an incredible start.B次元官网网址�

OB次元官网网址機onnor would like to see more pullouts and signs along Highway 1 viewpointsB次元官网网址攁nd for new markers to describe the Indigenous and Gold Rush history of the Canyon.

The revitalization committee wants to continue adding signage along the highway, Tegart said. But no additional areas have been announced.

In Hope, there are discussions about building signs that encourage people to take Highway 1, said Mayor Victor Smith. He wants something large that is both noticeable and photo-worthy.

B次元官网网址淲e want to have a picture of the sign, people standing there, so you see the size of it,B次元官网网址� Smith said. B次元官网网址淧eople will want to get a picture with the signs, which means they got to drive there.B次元官网网址�

As more emphasis is placed on the Fraser Canyon, Tegart is reminding residents of proper travel etiquette. Because they emphasize the regionB次元官网网址檚 Indigenous and settler history, she hopes visitors will not trespass into sensitive ecosystems and look after the land they pass through.

B次元官网网址淲e wanted to set a tone that said, `We welcome you as visitors, but you are visitors,B次元官网网址滲次元官网网址� Tegart said.

B次元官网网址淲e are looking for a respectful visitor.B次元官网网址�