From environmental policies to sustainable land management plans, Kevan Bracewell has employed determination and resolve to achieve conservation-focused outcomes. Kevan, however, is not the first Bracewell to display this relentless perseverance. His father, Alf Bracewell, employed dogged determination in his quest to create a vital roadway from Canada’s interior to the Pacific Ocean.
Prior to the mid-1900’s, the only way to traverse the mountain pass from Bella Coola to the Chilcotin Plateau was by foot or horse. This made supply runs challenging and lengthy for the local communities of Anahim Hills and Bella Coola. Despite the need for a reliable connection between these two towns, the government backed down from the project in the face of intimidating terrain and high costs. Recognizing the current need and how imperative this lifeline to the Pacific would be for generations to come, Alf and the local community decided to construct the road themselves.
Armed with determination and driven by purpose, Bella Coola’s community-run Board of Trade began the project with a mere $250. This provided just enough money to rent a D6 Caterpillar to clear a roadway from Canada’s interior to the Pacific Ocean. On September 14, 1952, Alf Bracewell set out from Anahim Lake to meet up with Elijah Gurr, who was clearing a path from Bella Coola. This was no small feat. The drivers had to clear 76 kilometers of rugged terrain, with grades of up to 18 percent and a total elevation gain of 1,829 meters. After one year and many challenges overcome, Alf Bracewell met Elijah Gurr on September 26, 1953, completing Canada’s third crucial access point to the Pacific Ocean.
At the outset of this project, the townspeople had no guarantee that they would be paid for their significant investment of time, energy, and resources. Because Alf Bracewell and the community understood that the livelihood of current and future generations depended on this road, they did not let this deter them. As they charged ahead with the project, their determination eventually paid off. When the towns petitioned the government for funds to construct a new route down a nearly 1 kilometer decline, they received their first funding in the amount of $10,000. With this, the community was able to secure additional crew members, along with a TD18 international bulldozer. As community volunteers and crew members continued constructing the road with relentless determination, the government decided to repay the towns for their completed work through two $20,000 installments. Thus, two years later, the Bella Coola Highway was officially opened as HIghway 20.
Today, Canada is still benefiting from the dedication of Alf Bracewell and this small group who refused to abandon their goals in the face of daunting obstacles. This route to the Pacific Ocean, that was once an arduous and lengthy journey, now takes less than an hour by car. Highway 20, also known as the Freedom Road, has become part of Canada’s provincial highway system. In 2003, on the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Freedom Road, Canadians celebrated the remarkable achievements of the two communities who created a roadway to the Pacific with limited resources and endless resolve.
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