Flood-damaged parks to get $81M fix-up from province

The Alberta government is spending $81 million to restore provincial parks damaged by floodwaters in June.

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• VIDEO |Volunteers repair flood-eroded trails in Kananaskis
• Alberta's flood-ravaged Kananaskis Country recovering

About 170 kilometres of pathways and recreation trails were wiped out in the disaster, while 50 campgrounds and 60 day-use areas were damaged.

The majority of the funding announced on Wednesday $60 million will pay for restoration work in Kananaskis Country.

About $16 million will be spent fixing Calgarys Fish Creek Provincial Park, where every bridge will need some degree of repair, including four crossings that were seriously compromised.

The rest will go towards projects in Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park southeast of Calgary and the Oldman Dam Provincial Recreation Area near Pincher Creek.

Richard Starke, the provincial minister of tourism, parks and recreation, said the money is crucial to restore the pathways, bridges and campsites.

"We will be able to offer Albertans and our visitors from around the world the chance to enjoy our incredible landscapes once again, he said.

Parks' staff and thousands of volunteers have already begun restoring some areas.Major work will begin next year, the province said.

• Click on the video below for a look at flood damage in Fish Creek Provincial Park.