Between March 1 and April 29, 2011 Albertans were invited to share their feedback on a facility redevelopment proposal for the Lower Kananaskis River area.
Located approximately 80 kilometres west of Calgary in Bow Valley Provincial Park, the Lower Kananaskis River area is a popular day-use destination, and is recognized for its river-based recreational opportunities. There are four facility nodes within this planning area - Canoe Meadows, Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre, Widowmaker and Barrier Dam.
The redevelopment proposal was prepared to provide guidance for how to upgrade and expand recreational facilities over several years, while minimizing impacts on the Lower Kananaskis River watershed and area wildlife. Key objectives of the proposal included:
Thank you to everyone who provided feedback on the redevelopment proposal. Valuable input was collected during this public consultation process.
All of the information gathered from public feedback has been reviewed. Please take a look at What We Heard. Based on public feedback, Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation has updated the proposal and approved the Lower Kananaskis River Facility Redevelopment Plan.
Implementing the entire approved redevelopment plan will take time and resources, however key considerations will be the availability of funding and the ability to partner with both the private and non-government sectors in the development and operation of facilities. The first priorities for construction will be the redevelopments at the Canoe Meadows and Barrier Lake nodes, along with the commercial rafting staging area and group-use area at Widowmaker. After potential impacts from the initial construction of the priority nodes have been evaluated, the remaining parts of the proposal may be phased in over several years as required.
Camille Weleschuk
Public Affairs Officer
Alberta Tourism, Parks and Recreation
780-427-2206
camille.weleschuk@gov.ab.ca
