I would like to express my opinion on the situation at the Jim Uffelmann Park.
Yes, it is a beautiful location, but there is nothing beautiful about this park!
This park is being loved to death! To be very honest it is a disaster zone.
The banks are very badly eroded from people and dogs going in and out of the river.
Regardless of the signage the Town has put up, and I quote, “Due to erosion the river banks are unstable and steep, STAY AWAY FROM THE EDGES. Pets are to be under control at all times.”
This is totally ignored!
The grassy spaces along the pathways are mud baths when wet and dust bowls when dry!
Nothing green about it!
Retaining fabric around the constructions site at the old Griffin Ranch just north of this park is required to prevent dirt flushing into the river.
Yet, at this park nothing is being done to prevent dirt going into the river.
Are there two standards?
Eventually, the banks will need to be repaired.
At what cost? And who is going to pay for it?
Forget about walking and biking, if we treat this park the way we do, there will be no park left.
Do we really honor Jim Uffelmann this way?
Creating a separate pathway for bikers or for that matter ban bikers altogether does not solve the real issue.
Bikers need to stay on the paved pathways.
Some bike tires have sharp profiles and some of them have spikes! Really bad for erosion!!
There is no difference between how we treat this park and graffiti that recently appeared at the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge.
To use the Mayors words “disheartening and senseless.”
The only thing to do is be responsible, respect others, respect nature, the beautiful Bow River and obey all the signs and bylaws.
Gary Kooistra
