The St. Albert Nordic Ski Club (STANSKI) will be extending its reach into the Sturgeon Valley after Sturgeon County councillors gave them approval this week.
Councillors voted five to two in favour of the proposal, which will allow the group to use a snowmobile-type machine to groom trails on the abandoned section of Bellerose Drive, as well as along the Sturgeon River.
Coun. Don McGeachy and Mayor Don Rigney were the voices of dissent on the issue, fearing a snowmobile working in the Sturgeon Valley would re-open the issue of the area's off-highway vehicle ban.
Snowmobiles and ATVs have been banned from the valley for several years.
McGeachy, who represents part of the area, said he was concerned opening up the issue would be a problem.
“Our existing bylaw in the valley is stretched. We have a hard time enforcing it as it is,” he said. “I think this would really be waving a red flag in front of law abiding citizens.”
Hugh Rutherford, the STANSKI’s trails director said the machine it uses to groom trails does not look like a standard snowmobile and he didn't think it would attract people to break the law.
“We pull the grooming equipment behind the vehicle,” he said. “The equipment is not high-speed equipment. It is a piece of work equipment.”
McGeachy argued there many residents in the Sturgeon Valley opposed to the existing ban that would take this as an opportunity to break it.
“They are not going to phone the county and ask if we have lifted the bylaw. They are just going to go out and do it.”
STANSKI recently settled a dispute with the Riverlot 56 Society over grooming trails in the provincial natural area.
Rutherford told council the trails were extremely popular and the club was looking forward to extending their footprint.
“Out on the river lot, you will find the parking lots full and whatever we groom, they will use,” he said. “It is quite a luxury and it is something you would find in a resort in B.C.”
Several councillors also saw it as a way to extend a recreation service to residents without an added cost.
“I can see this as a support for another type of recreation rather than a support for skidoos,” said Coun. Joe Milligan. “I can see the day where we are going to be encouraging you to go out and groom trails in some part of the valley.”
Coun. Tom Flynn who also represents the Sturgeon Valley said he believes it would be a real benefit and there was a possibility for expansion in the future.
“I think there is some value in what we are talking about here,” he said. “I see a real recreation benefit.”
McGeachy said he still sees a real potential for problems.
“I think it is a mistake. I think some people will take it as an excuse to run high-speed, high-powered machines.”
