New lookout at island beach

One of Vancouver Island’s popular surfing beaches has a new rest area and lookout spot.

This rest area at the Sombrio lookout point, which is the only rest stop between Sooke and Port Renfrew, is opened on the Thanksgiving weekend.

“Until recently, there has only been a handful of ways to access the coast and the scenery along the Juan de Fuca corridor,” said Gillian Montgomery, chapter manager, Surfrider Foundation, Vancouver Island.

“This new rest stop is a strong step in improving coastal accessibility along Highway 14 and improves the opportunity for visitors to enjoy this magnificent part of the province.”

“Earlier this year, the Premier stood beside Highway 14 and committed to improving this corridor,” said Claire Trevena, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “This new rest area is another milestone for this project, providing people with a safe place to rest and recharge while taking in the surrounding beauty.”

Work started in early July 2018 and included:

— wheelchair-accessible washroom facilities and picnic tables

— an elevated lookout point with ocean and mountain views

— a paved parking lot with room for recreational vehicles — new lighting In addition to the new lookout point, a pull-over space for slowermoving vehicles is scheduled to be completed later this month. This safety measure will allow vehicles to pass slower-moving traffic.

The overall cost of the project was $600,000. These upgrades are part of $10-million in immediate improvements to the Highway 14 corridor.