There has been a lot of controversy recently about the chain link fence to be built around the dog park at Lacombe Lake and dogs not being able to use the dog beach.
Another issue is the height of the post and rail wooden fence around the lake, which is an eyesore. The top rail is about 60 inches high. Most adults walking on the trail around the lake will have their view of the lake almost completely obstructed by the top rail. This is silly when all the work being done – a three-year million-dollar project – is to improve the appeal of the lake. Now we can’t see it because of the top of the fence.
Why is the top rail at 60 inches (1.5 metres in the city plan), the rest of the original blue rail around the lake is only 44 inches high and it is easy to see over. It can’t be a safety issue as the railing on the sidewalk along busy St. Albert Trail bridge over the Sturgeon River is only 40 inches high. It can’t be a city bylaw issue as a railing on a balcony on a six-storey condo only has to be 42 inches high. It can’t be to restrict access as the non-dog beach (which won’t be available to dogs) is open to the lake with no fence. It not only restricts the view but also the top rail is so high that kids that go fishing at the lake won’t be able to reach over it.
Unfortunately the railing on the “viewing” platform is also going to be 48 inches so you won’t get much of a view of the lake when you are sitting on the benches but you will have a great view of the railing.
Why was such a high fence approved that restricts the visual appeal and restricts access when the whole project was to enhance the view of the lake and stabilize the bank for improved safe access? This could easily be fixed, the fence is wood so the top rail could be cut off and amazingly the middle wooden rail is already is at the same height as the existing blue metal railing so it would line up perfectly.
I hope members of council go to Lacombe Lake and take a look at the fence and see that it can be corrected (shortened) before the project is finished.
Mike Killick, St. Albert
