VICTORIA -- A historic railway trestle that's popular with hikers on southern Vancouver Island could soon be closed to the public as its owners meet with local and federal officials on the matter.
The Goldstream trestle, also known as the Niagara trestle, attracts thousands of visitors a year who access the scenic bridge through Goldstream Provincial Park, near Langford.
The death of a teenager at the site last month has prompted calls to permanently close the train bridge to the public.
The Island Corridor Foundation, a non-profit group that owns the former train crossing, says it is looking at a number of changes to the site, including fencing it off entirely.
A working group has been meeting on the issue and includes members of the West Shore RCMP, which supports fencing off the site, as well as the Canadian Mental Health Association, the Sooke school district, the Langford Fire Department and BC Parks.
The group says it has applied for a federal grant to erect fencing or safety barriers at the site.
Local MP Randall Garrison has been briefed on the matter and plans to meet with the group on their proposals for the site, his office confirmed.
The families of two people who have died at the trestle in the past eight months have supported calls for suicide barriers on the bridge or other safety measures around the site.
