fishteck Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 The stakeholder engagement process with Calgary Parks will see the River Access Strategy proposal being presented to Community & Protective Services committee meeting on February 1, 2017. A 5-year capital budget proposal of $7.66 M to add or improve 12 city boat or hand launch sites is being presented. If approved, we can expect to see dirt turned on new boat launch sites before the end of the year. Go the the following link for complete details: https://bowrivertrout.org/2017/01/24/calgarys-river-access-strategy-released-to-the-public/ The Community & Protective Services committee meeting is open to the public input. Your support is needed. Time and place: 9:30 AM February 1, 2017, City Council Chambers. Ground floor , City Hall Quote
bcubed Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 If approved, we can expect to see dirt turned on new boat launch sites before the end of the year. Go the the following link for complete details: Don't oversell it. Regulatory (Water Act) would be quite the achievement to get these in before the end of the Restricted Activity Period in September, considering zero design has been completed to date. Quote
jpinkster Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 Take this point for what it's worth - Don't assume that Council support for a $7.66M dedication of funds over 5 years is a slam dunk, it likely won't be. It's an election year and every bit of spending approved by Council is going to come under intense scrutiny. It's up to the river access community at large to make the case loud and clear that this capital spend is both necessary and appropriate. There are lots of competing projects out there that are looking for funding. The access community needs to demonstrate that this investment has a clear return and should be made a priority. Quote
BurningChrome Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 Isn't there some alternate way of sending feedback? 9:30 on a Wednesday morning isn't exactly convenient for everyone... Quote
jpinkster Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 Isn't there some alternate way of sending feedback? 9:30 on a Wednesday morning isn't exactly convenient for everyone... I get your point, though I'm not sure it is realistic for all Council/Committee meetings to be outside of normal working hours. You are able to send written feedback in to City Clerks, although the submission window may be closed. Anyone interested in watching the proceedings can tune in here: http://www.calgary.ca/General/Pages/Council-and-Committee-webcasts.aspx Quote
TroutPanther Posted January 24, 2017 Posted January 24, 2017 Take this point for what it's worth - Don't assume that Council support for a $7.66M dedication of funds over 5 years is a slam dunk, it likely won't be. It's an election year and every bit of spending approved by Council is going to come under intense scrutiny. It's up to the river access community at large to make the case loud and clear that this capital spend is both necessary and appropriate. There are lots of competing projects out there that are looking for funding. The access community needs to demonstrate that this investment has a clear return and should be made a priority. Jordan, I trust you will do your best to lobby for this instead of more bike lanes! Quote
fishteck Posted January 25, 2017 Author Posted January 25, 2017 All I ask is that everyone make an effort to support the River Access Strategy by being ath the presentation to Community & Protectiver Services Meeting on February 1, 2017 in City Council Chambers. A lot of work has been put into this project - I would hate to see it die on the books. Quote
jpinkster Posted January 25, 2017 Posted January 25, 2017 Jordan, I trust you will do your best to lobby for this instead of more bike lanes! No comment. 1 Quote
jpinkster Posted January 27, 2017 Posted January 27, 2017 The Bow River Chapter of Trout Unlimited Canada offers their official position: http://bowriver.org/2017/01/27/brc-comment-on-calgary-river-access-strategy/ Quote
jpinkster Posted January 30, 2017 Posted January 30, 2017 Article making the rounds over the weekend: http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/new-river-access-strategy-looks-to-increase-tourism-while-protecting-the-environment I won't pre-suppose the outcome, but the fact that two fiscally conservative Councillors are endorsing this is a good omen. 1 Quote
fishteck Posted January 31, 2017 Author Posted January 31, 2017 Full details of the Calgary River Access Strategy have been posted on the City of Calgary's Website http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/Parks/Pages/River-Access.aspx?redirect=/riveraccess The report will be presented to Community & Protective Services Committee Meeting tomorrow, February 1, 2017, 9:30 AM in Council Chambers at City Hall. We are hoping for approval before being presented to the City Council later in the month. Hope to see you there Quote
jpinkster Posted February 1, 2017 Posted February 1, 2017 You can also live stream the media from the Calgary.ca site. Begins at 9:30 http://www.calgary.ca/General/Pages/Council-and-Committee-webcasts.aspx Quote
fishinglibin Posted February 2, 2017 Posted February 2, 2017 From what I heard on radio news, they are looking at funding up to 7 more access points. Quote
jasonvilly Posted February 2, 2017 Posted February 2, 2017 Passed. Here is an article with a limited scope explanation of what was passed. http://calgaryherald.com/storyline/by-the-numbers-calgarys-new-river-access-strategy 2 Quote
jpinkster Posted February 2, 2017 Posted February 2, 2017 Passed unanimously through committee. I'll put a more detailed response up tomorrow that gives the details on what happens next. 1 Quote
jpinkster Posted February 2, 2017 Posted February 2, 2017 New article up this morning that gives some info on what transpired yesterday - http://www.calgarysun.com/2017/02/01/calgarys-new-river-access-strategy-aims-to-redraw-how-we-access-and-enjoy-them First and foremost, a big thank you to everyone who came out and presented yesterday. I think the members of committee and the media were really surprised at just how many people came out to share their passionate stories about why river access matters. You folks made a clear case that this was absolutely something The City should be prioritizing. I want to explain a little bit about what happens next. Navigating the tangled web of bureaucratic process cam be complicated, so I'll do my best to explain this in as plain of terms as possible: - Committee unanimously approved the administration recommendations. The recommendations asked Council to do two things: 1) Receive the Calgary River Access Strategy for information; and 2) Direct Administration to forward a business case for the high priority river access sites for consideration as part of the Investment Plan being brought forward by Infrastructure Calgary in Q1 or Q2 of 2017. - When an item gets unanimous approval from committee it gets sent to Council on something called the "consent agenda". Consent agenda is where you find items that were unanimously approved at committee. Typically the entire batch of consent agenda items are all approved at once. If a member of Council feels compelled, they can ask that an item be pulled from the consent agenda to allow for further debate and discussion. River Access should be on the consent agenda at a Council meeting later this month. - This item being approved at Council DOES NOT mean the River Access Strategy is funded. Approval at Council will initiate recommendation #2 that directs administration to send the business case to Infrastructure Calgary. Infrastructure Calgary is branch of The City that coordinates our capital projects and brings the budgetary requests before Council. If the business case is satisfactory it will be included in the capital project budget that will be brought before Council this spring. The immediate spend would be the $1.69 million to address immediate access projects. - The full program comes with a cost of $7.66 million. The balance of funding will be brought forward with the 2019-2022 Action Plan. The Action Plan is voted on by the new Council after the municipal election in the fall. The River Access Strategy would be one of the capital requests in the Action Plan that would considered for funding. We are not at the end of this process by any means, but we have made some very real progress. There may be an opportunity for more public input when the capital budget is brought before Council later this spring. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to let me know. I'm happy to shine some light on what can often be a confusing process. 5 Quote
fishteck Posted February 6, 2017 Author Posted February 6, 2017 Looking forward to City Council Approval http://calgaryherald.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-lets-embrace-our-rivers GOES TO CITY COUNCIL FOR APPROVAL ON MONDAY FEBRUARY 13. LETS KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED. Quote
fishteck Posted February 17, 2017 Author Posted February 17, 2017 Calgary City Council approved the River Access Strategy on Monday February 13, 2017 with a $7.77 million budget of which $1.69 million will be spend on 2 new boat ramps and upgrades to other in 2017-8. Go to the following link for details and a map of all existing and proposed boat ramps in the lower Bow River. Within 6 years we should see a total of 17 boat ramps between Stoney Trail in the north-west of Calgary and Carsland Weir. https://bowrivertrout.org/2017/02/15/calgarys-river-access-strategy-approved-by-city-council/ 5 Quote
Jayhad Posted March 15, 2017 Posted March 15, 2017 Am I missing something here, are they leaving the Baker Park and Shouldice Park as hand use launches only???? there are boat launches there now with just gates in the way. According to the map these have the ICONS for hand use. Quote
fishteck Posted March 16, 2017 Author Posted March 16, 2017 The current plans call for West Baker Park and Shouldice Park to be closed to trailered boat access until the new Inglewood boat ramp is completed in 2018. Shouldice may be closed longer depending on the timing for an additional "public" boat ramp. Depending on how the redesigned Harvie Passage turns out where the low flow channel should give safe passage for drift boats, West Baker Park may be opened earlier. It is expected that the HP Low Flow Channel will not have enough water in it to allow for safe passage during times of the year when the Bow River flows are low. and the WID water diversion gates are open. Only time will tell what the final outcome will be! Quote
Jayhad Posted March 16, 2017 Posted March 16, 2017 Sweet, I thought things were changing, I should have known better. The channel always had enough water the 300+ times I've run it. I guess planning and building the channel to have enough flow is to difficult. Quote
fishteck Posted March 18, 2017 Author Posted March 18, 2017 The design of Harvie Passage, especially the low flow channel was to meet normal water management operations during the spring and summer months when the sleuth gates are closed for water diversion into the WID. That usually takes place from late April to early October. When the Sleuth gates are closed the river backs up pushing water down the low flow channel provided there is a minimum river flow of 62 CMS. What is being asked for is to open the sleuth gate earlier and close later to extend the back up of water to push it down the low flow channel. Quote
bcubed Posted March 1, 2018 Posted March 1, 2018 Not to say i told you so... Water Act applications are taking 400+ days. Kind of funny to be able to get through the bureaucracy of DFO quicker then a provincial regulator.. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-water-access-rivers-province-delays-city-watercraft-launching-1.4557610 Quote
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