Richard Froese
South Peace News
A plan to protect Big Lakes County farmland from longtime risks of chronic spring flooding remains up in the air.
And so could several key provincial government ministers – be up in the air in a helicopter to view the Horse Lakes and Buffalo Bay area this spring.
At its regular meeting Feb. 8, council approved a motion to add $10,000 to the budget to fly four ministers and up to 10 other people over the Prairie Echo area west of Grouard this spring.
Council passed a second motion to invite four ministers – Environment and Protected Areas Minister Sonya Savage, Agriculture and Irrigation Minister Nate Horner, Forestry, Parks and Tourism Minister Todd Loewen (also the MLA for the neighbouring Central Peace – Notley) and Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen.
All four ministries have a vested interest in the issue, says Kevin Cymbaluk, director of public works.
For several decades, flooding incidents in the spring have caused severe damage to farmland and residential properties in the area.
Several studies and reports have been completed with little project to reduce or eliminate flooding.
All costs for the work would be the responsibility of the EPA or AI, Cymbaluk says.
Reeve Robert Nygaard wants to move on the tour quickly.
“We should get the helicopter tour as soon as possible,” Nygaard says.
Council briefly discussed a helicopter tour at its previous meeting Jan. 25.
Administration contacted three helicopter companies for pricing for a three-hour tour for up to 14 people.
The tour of the area comes at a time when the county is reviewing and processing a 2017 report produced by Northwest Hydraulic Consultants, commissioned by Alberta Environment and Parks.
“During the past decade, the situation in this area has become more critical,” Cymbaluk says.
High Prairie East – Banana Belt Councillor Tyler Airth says the work is urgent.
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed,” Airth says.
North Gilwood – Triangle Councillor Jim Zabolotniuk agrees.
“We (as a county) have been lobbying for this for a long time.”
A value-engineering workshop was conducted last Sept. 20, which including county staff, Alberta Environment and Northwest Hydraulics.
Cymbaluk says a report on the workshop, was finalized Jan. 24 but is not yet publicly available.
Before the helicopter tour, council plans to discuss the report at a special committee-of-the-whole meeting in the coming weeks.
Council agreed to accept the recent report and schedule a meeting to discuss the report.
Environment officials would also be invited to the meeting.