Project Spotlight: Telegraph Cove Historic Site

Team:
● Dave Craven – Project Sponsor
● Kristin Storry – Senior Professional
● Cindy Hannah – Senior Professional
● Alex Boucher – Environmental Monitor/Biologist
● Brett Jensen – Boat Operations, Spill Containment, Surveying
● Emma Grieg – RPAS Pilot, Processing, and Mapping
● Andrew Fletcher – Boat Operations, Spill Containment.

This project was extensively supported by both our CR and PM teams, whose contributions
were essential to its success.

Project Overview:
On December 31, 2024, a fire devastated the Telegraph Cove Historic Site, destroying much of the area, including the dock, restaurant, whale interpretive centre, office buildings, and the Westell Manor Heritage House.

SNRgroup was engaged to develop a bid proposal that encompassed property surveying, RPAS imagery and LiDAR, environmental management, government permit communications and applications, and debris containment for the site’s decommissioning and eventual rebuild. The
work is ongoing, with the decommission phase wrapping up in March 2025.

Project Highlights:
We were invited to bid on this project due to our established presence on Northern Vancouver Island, our strong relationships with the site’s owners and the prime contractor, and our ability to mobilize a skilled, agile team under tight timelines. Additionally, our connections with government agencies allowed us to quickly engage the right stakeholders to ensure all environmental considerations were addressed from the outset.

Telegraph Cove holds deep significance for the North Island community. Nearly everyone in the region has visited, and much of our local tourism is directly tied to this historic site. On a personal note, this project carried special meaning for me, as my wife and her family grew up in Telegraph Cove, and the Westell Manor Heritage House was their family home. Supporting its restoration made this work particularly meaningful.

Unique Takeaways:
This project exemplifies what the North Island is all about—a community of people and businesses rallying together for a shared purpose. The collaboration between teams, both internally and externally, ensured that work progressed at an impressive pace while maintaining the highest standards of safety for the site, workers, and environment. Everyone involved takes immense pride in their contributions, and this project stands as a testament to the strength and resilience of our region.