River Access Strategy - Feedback Time

[bcubed]

Well River users, here's your chance to speak up, instead of sitting on your hands and then complaining when things don't go 'your way'. Pretty excited to see them bring up Frenchmen's as an access point..that in addition to another one upstream of 22 would completely change our river and the way we could fish it. The NW guys get some love too.

 

 

http://engage.calgary.ca/riveraccess

 

[fishteck]

This project has taken a lot of work by many committed individuals, as Bcube has said, do your part and complete the questionnaire as best you can.

There is no doubt that the City will listen to what the general public has to say. The fishing community must get their message across that the River Access Strategy boat launch access is important to our recreation activity.

 

The door is now open at City Hall to make improvements to river access, With the fishing community's support for the strategy there is confidence that financial resources will be make available.

[Dangus]

One concern I have, that I'll mention in the feedback, is how busy sue Higgins is. Hard to find parking on a good day.

[Dangus]

Anyone know if you will be able to bypass the weir?

[fishteck]

Bron:

What does Sue Higgins Park parking have to do with the River Access Strategy? There are no plans for a boat ramp or a hand launch site in this park. The objective of the River Access Strategy is to resolve trailered boat and carry in boat access to the river with adequate parking, road access, toilets, garbage bins, etc to meet environmental standard, public sanitation and habitat protection.

 

There has been some discussion to expand the strategy to include amenities at strategically located river bank locations. Any of the river edge parks would fall into this scope if adopted.

[fishteck]

Harvie Passage is a complicated issue. Developed by Alberta Transportation with stakeholder input. Once complete, Alberta Environment and Parks takes over the ongoing maintenance. The city by way of the Bend-in-the-Bow Park redevelopment of the adjacent Pearce Estates Parks have their own agenda as to how the park should look. My opinion is that the redeveloped park will have more of an environmental component than to enhance Harvie Passage use.

 

Theoretically, the new Harvie Passage Low Flow Channel will accommodate drift boat passage, provided the Bow River flow is more than 45 CMS and the irrigation sleuth gates are closed (May - October). Hopefully a take-out boat ramp will be available above HP at St. Patrick's Island and a put-in/take-out below HP at 17 Ave SE/ Cushing Bridge that will be reopened to the public. The problem at this point in time is the need for a take-out point directly above the weir. No good answers for now.

[Dangus]

Whoops I must've had a stroke when I saw carburn.

[fishteck]

Carburn Park is an interesting selections for a designated boat ramp given the lagoon, bird watching interest and established use patterns. But the city owns a chunk of land between the current park use and residential development downstream. Without too many conflicts from existing park use this would make for a good boat ramp site. The question; are there other sites further downstream that would be better locations? Quarry Park comes to mind, but the property is currently owned by the developer, Remington. Hopefully some outstanding issues at Quarry Park can be resolved.

[Jayhad]

Anyone know if you will be able to bypass the weir?

Just bomb through, it's exciting

[bcubed]

Just bomb through, it's exciting

 

especially if you fill your boat to the gunnels

[Dangus]

Ya maybe that's another reason that I thought it was sue Higgins-seems to have the right space for it.

In carburn, I'm guessing they'd just cut down by the parking lot to the tiny side channel by the dog leg turn in the river above the dark park? Otherwise there's a road going through the park.

Then again, a launch on an outside bend seems like it would get hammered in a flood.

[TroutPanther]

Hopefully a take-out boat ramp will be available above HP at St. Patrick's Island and a put-in/take-out below HP at 17 Ave SE/ Cushing Bridge that will be reopened to the public. The problem at this point in time is the need for a take-out point directly above the weir. No good answers for now.

Filled out the form. I emphasized my opinion re: the importance of these two potential launches as well as one below the bearspaw dam (like Stoney) to open up new (or old) stretches of the river again. As far as I am concerned this would be ideal and hopefully it is prioritized. The rest to me is just gravy.

[eagleflyfisher]

Did the survey, all hand launches below fish creek. Frenchman's will be great. Better if full launch.

Hope a full rebuild of police is in the plan. If plumbed washrooms are on site maybe gear washing stations .

Proper signage to give angler some clue to regs, some dork was on the rocks at police dunking worms the other day.

Anti poaching signs at all launches could help.

Great to see a plan in the works.

[jpinkster]

Did the survey, all hand launches below fish creek. Frenchman's will be great. Better if full launch. Hope a full rebuild of police is in the plan. If plumbed washrooms are on site maybe gear washing stations . Proper signage to give angler some clue to regs, some dork was on the rocks at police dunking worms the other day. Anti poaching signs at all launches could help. Great to see a plan in the works.

 

Keep in mind this entire plan is for within the Calgary city limits. Police will fall outside of that scope.

[bcubed]

Did the survey, all hand launches below fish creek. Frenchman's will be great. Better if full launch. Hope a full rebuild of police is in the plan. If plumbed washrooms are on site maybe gear washing stations . Proper signage to give angler some clue to regs, some dork was on the rocks at police dunking worms the other day. Anti poaching signs at all launches could help. Great to see a plan in the works.

 

Those aren't hand launches, despite what the link is showing as an image. It just means they're not going to have the same facility as the 'full launches'. You have to hit the 'hand launch' button on the map to see the hand launch area

 

gear washing station at plumbed in launches is really smart

[Villageidiot]

I'd encourage all of you to add in the business opportunities at access points to be considered to add your thoughts about a City of Calgary Shuttle service. I know this might not be favourable to the one shuttle service left at the moment. But since BRS shut down, and this increased amount of river access, the city will need additional shuttle service providers.

[fishteck]

Policeman's Flats will not be redeveloped, but a trailered boat launch across the river is most likely.

Frenchman's likewise.

A part of the current thinking is to incorporate parks and boat ramps into new river edge community developments. This would solve the problems that are being experienced by the city finding the right locations for boat ramps.

 

Shuttle service: If the opportunity is their for a profitable inner city shuttle service it will start up.

[Dangus]

I'd encourage all of you to add in the business opportunities at access points to be considered to add your thoughts about a City of Calgary Shuttle service. I know this might not be favourable to the one shuttle service left at the moment. But since BRS shut down, and this increased amount of river access, the city will need additional shuttle service providers.

There are two guys running two separate shows now as far as I know. I was approached by a guy at glenmore and handed a card. Can't recall his name...Len maybe? Then Mel is the other cat.

[fishteck]

The city's River Access Strategy web site has been updated with revised boat ramps and hand launch sites. The most important changes are the boat ramp proposals above and below Harvie Passage. The fishing community can expect to see Cushing Bridge (17 Ave SE) opened to the public with the completion of Harvie Passage in the later part of 2017. In addition new boat ramps are being proposed for Inglewood (12 St. SE) and Ogden Rd. SE. will open up the entire Calgary reach of the Bow River to drift boat use.

 

Engage and support the River Access Strategy. Go to the following website for details:

 

http://engage.calgary.ca/riveraccess

[fishteck]

Edmonton City Council approves their own river access strategy with a $2 million commitment to 7 new river access sites.

 

Will Calgary City Council do the same for the Bow and Elbow Rivers?

 

http://globalnews.ca/news/3035969/7-docks-and-boat-launches-proposed-for-edmonton-river-valley/

[badatt]

Any development across the river from policemens could be a problem. There is a Great Blue Heron rookery in the woods there, home to approx. 30 nests that they return to every year. It is an offence under the migratory bird act to disturb them in any way.

This issue was brought forward a few years ago when the "Sanctuary on the Bow" development was proposed.

The land in question was sold to a developer last year.

[Dangus]

It's not across the river. As far as I can tell, It's east of the red roofed house.

[eagleflyfisher]

We got another development brewing right now, downstream of cottonwood on Manix's old land.

Outfit called Walden or Walton bought I think it was 1 1/2 miles River front and 640 acres.

Keep the damn development out of the river vally!

[badatt]

The rookery is directly across from police, far west of the house.

The old Manix property by the buffalo jump is now owned by a developer, above and in the valley. Small portions of the valley parcel are protected because of their archaeological significance. It sounds like the developer is willing to work with other stakeholders in protecting it.

[fishteck]

The proposal for Seton boat launch is somewhere downstream of of Policemen's. Probably in the general area of the outflow above the red roof house. No firm commitment from the city at this point in time, but new community developments are within the Calgary River Access Strategy.

 

The Walton property refereed to in the old days as "The Pheasant Pens", south / east of Cottonwood Golf Course is up for development. Preliminary discussion with the developer for a boat ramp were received favorably. This site is outside the scope of Calgary River Access Strategy and the current mandate of Calgary River Users Alliance. CRUA has this site and others above and below Calgary on our radar for future development. Expect to see some movement on this file in the new year.