The Springbank Community Association (SCA) is celebrating what it calls “a win” after Alberta Environment and Parks indicated after construction is completed in 2024, it is willing to allow potential recreational uses at the future Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir (SR-1) site.
“Initially the government’s view was all of that infrastructure would be closed to the public,” said SCA spokesperson Karin Hunter. “We had asked them to re-evaluate.”
Hunter said the SCA had been requesting to have the roadways up the crest of the new dam and pathways along the four-kilometre length of the diversion canal to be opened for public use. Hunter indicated that request was recently granted by the Alberta government.
“It feels good because SR-1 had never had any positive recreational outcomes,” Hunter explained. “Any other traditional dam that gets built would have this wealth of recreational amenities to the (local) communities. And with SR-1 originally having zero recreational (opportunities), this is a good outcome because maybe it can form the basis for a greater trail system linking Calgary and Springbank to Bragg Creek.”
Premier Jason Kenney announced on May 5 that the contract had been awarded to begin construction on the $744 million SR-1 project in the coming year. The dam
Kenney confirmed at the time that construction of SR-1 will create 2,200 jobs and create a reservoir area of approximately 3,700 acres, and will be partially completed in 2024 and fully complete by 2025.
And while there was plenty of opposition to the project from Rocky View County, the Tsuut’ina First Nation, and a grassroots group organized by local landowners and concerned citizens called 'Don’t Damn Springbank,' that opposition has largely melted away in recent years, as the project received both provincial and federal approvals in 2021.
The SCA had also been a vocal opponent of the dam in the past, but Hunter said the SCA now has its eyes fixed on the recreational opportunities presented by the site. Once the dam is fully built, said Hunter, there should be about 500 acres leftover of nearly untouched native grasslands with great access to the Elbow River. The SCA is trying to convince the provincial government to turn this into a public recreation area instead of selling it off for development or other uses.
“The reasons for keeping that land are numerous,” she said. “Number one, you have this tremendous riparian area which is along the Elbow River that could be preserved in its natural state. The benefits for your source water protection for the City of Calgary and Rocky View is really compelling.
“(I think) the really big opportunity is to have a new recreation area for people to come, and be in its native state.”
The nature of the types of recreation being offered on the unused southern portion of the land set aside for the dam and what infrastructure may eventually be present for that recreational use are up for discussion, according to Hunter, but the important thing for the near term is keeping the land in public hands.
“Our big ask is to retain that land, don’t sell that land,” she said. “And then over the long run, you have the opportunity to do some really amazing things with it. It is such an amazing opportunity to create a legacy benefit for Alberta.”
—With files from Scott Strasser and Ben Sherick/Rocky View Weekly
