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VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government has ordered the restoration of free natural hot spring pools that were mysteriously filled with dirt and boulders last fall.

But even as the government says it’s working with the nearby Harrison Hot Springs Resort to repair the stream, the community’s mayor says a new fence has been erected around the natural spring, making it unavailable for public use.

The government launched an investigation into the damage to the free natural spring and Crown resource, known as the Hobo Hot Spring, last October.

The Ministry of Forests says it can’t release a copy of the order to restore the springs, because it’s related to an active investigation.

However, the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship says it’s working to fix the stream with the owner and general manager of the nearby Harrison Hot Springs Resort, which did not respond to a request for comment.

Harrison Hot Springs Mayor Fred Talen says the resort is complying with the order to remove rocks and boulders placed in the public pools, but he’s “really disappointed” a new fence was put up around the stream on the weekend.

Talen blamed the resort for the fence.

“I think it’s a mistake, it’s a misstep, it’s inappropriate at best. At its worst, it could be viewed as disrespectful,” said Talen.

Photographs provided by Talen show a large brick-and-metal structure has also been built across the stream, along with a sign deterring the public from accessing the water. 

“Do not enter water. Hot mineral water temperatures vary and will cause injury,” the sign says.

But before the pools were filled in last fall, the spring had been used for free by First Nations people and other locals for many years.

The Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship said last year that filling or making changes to the spring would require approval, and none was given. 

The Ministry of Forests said in a statement last week that a Water Sustainability Act order has been issued to restore the site to its previous state, and the next steps of the investigation would be determined after order compliance was verified. 

Talen said the village would continue to have conversations with the resort to remove the fencing and enhance the hot springs experience in a way that benefitted the resort, the Sts’ailes First Nation and the village, which is 130 kilometres east of Vancouver. 

“The unilateral action by the resort makes me question whether the resort’s monopoly over the public’s use of the hot springs should continue,” said Talen.

“These hot springs, really, in my view, are a public resource and shouldn’t be under the exclusive control of a single business,” he added. 

The resort is owned by Aldesta Hotels & Resorts.

The government did not respond to questions about the fence and structure at the stream. 

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