Reconnecting at Cliff Gilker Park
- Jul 29
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 1
After several years of bridge closures, planning and community anticipation (to put it kindly), a new Gorge Bridge is one again carrying people from one side of the creek to the other safely, and with dry feet. The bridge opened by the July 4th weekend, restoring an important connection through one of our most well-used regional parks on the Sunshine Coast. Work is also now nearing completion on the Upper Falls Bridge, which should be open by mid-August.
How it happened
As the saying goes - Many hands make light work . In this case the work was hard, but with community-minded volunteers and organizations working together, it was possible. The project is meaningfully bolstered by significant volunteer contributions, including most immensely by David Atlee, as well as other unsung heroes - like local Micah Smith of Tetra Engineering Ltd., providing services at a rate discounted by over $5,000.
As a result of this collaboration, coupled with utilizing wood bridges with materials largely milled in place with deadfall instead of steel bridges delivered by helicopter, a total savings of SCRD taxpayer dollars of $578,000 was realized. This is something we can all be very proud of as a community.
How it all started...
This has been nearly 5 years in the making, after an atmospheric river caused significant flooding, trail, and bridge damage throughout Cliff Gilker Park in November 2021. The lower waterfall and zigzag bridge were damaged and out of service.
Over the following years the SCRD assessed the park's bridges, trails and other amenities. The assessment found that the Upper Waterfall and Gorge Bridges were nearing the end of their useful lives. In 2024, the SCRD proposed removing the Lower Waterfall and ZigZag bridges, replacing the Upper Waterfall and Gorge bridges, and undertaking trail, boardwalk, accessibility and signage improvements. The community was invited to provide feedback on that plan, at the same time as the SCCF contributed to the rebuilding of several trail bridges in the community, outside of Cliff Gilker park. This lead to dialogue with local elected officials, SCCF board and staff, with SCRD and SCCF staff initially meeting to discuss a collaborative approach in August 2025.
SCCF submitted a proposal to the SCRD in November 2025 which was incorporated into a staff report to the SCRD Board in February 2026. With the support of the SCRD Board of Directors, SCCF entered into a contract to build the Upper Falls Bridge and Gorge Bridge for $48,000, and with SCCF contributing approximately $27,000 to the project.
Reconnecting at a beautiful park like Cliff Gilker is a great reminder of the importance of stepping back from work. It also makes me think about how we manage our professional communications, even when we're away. Having control over your own email infrastructure can be a great asset for a small business, offering reliability and privacy. For those considering this route, a guide on setting up your own email server can be an invaluable starting point for understanding the requirements.
Reconectar com a natureza em parques locais é uma forma excelente de promover o bem-estar da comunidade. Projetos que visam organizar e divulgar esses espaços podem se beneficiar muito ao usar um local para reunir seus contatos e informações importantes sobre o parque. Isso facilita que o público encontre rapidamente o que precisa para planejar suas visitas.
Cliff Gilker Park remains a vital space for the community to gather and enjoy the natural landscape of the Sunshine Coast. As local businesses look to engage more deeply with park visitors, many are turning to storelibrary.com to better understand regional consumer trends. This approach helps align neighborhood services with the actual needs of those frequenting local recreational areas.