We in St. Albert value our river valley. It's part of what makes our city such a beautiful place to live.
But beauty is not just skin deep. The floodplains in our river valley perform a valuable function, a function that becomes increasingly critical in the face of extreme weather events brought about by climate change. Municipalities in the watershed recognized that importance in 2004 by signing on to the Big Lake Basin Study, which sought to preserve our natural floodplains to lessen the effects of future flood events. The study was in response to increasing infill activities by municipalities in the watershed that were cumulatively changing the flood regime of the river. At the time, the City of St. Albert recognized the importance of the study in its Stormwater Management Master Plan with the statement: "Floodplains of Big Lake, the Sturgeon River, and Carrot Creek are valuable natural areas that must be protected and preserved." The master plan went on to recommend that the city adopt a policy in its Land Use Bylaw to prohibit infilling of the floodplains.
Which brings into question the recent unanimous decision by council to proceed with design of a bike skills park for the Sturgeon River valley that would require infilling in the floodplains. This decision also ignores questions about the ability of the project to fully mitigate other harmful environmental effects, particularly to wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The Big Lake Environment Support Society has a mandate to prevent environmental damage and protect the physical and biotic integrity of the Sturgeon River within the City of St Albert. We are concerned that council's decision to design a recreational facility for placement in the Sturgeon River floodplains will benefit only a few at the expense of the long-term sustainability of the ecosystem, an ecosystem that graces the lives of so many here in St. Albert.
Al Henry, vice-president, Big Lake Environment Support Society
