The long-awaited mountain bike skills park will proceed to the design stage.
City council authorized city staff to proceed with getting design work done after receiving the natural areas assessment which was completed on the selected site at 43R Riel Drive.
The natural areas assessment found several potential “interactions” between a bike park and the environment.
Two bird species – osprey and common yellowthroat – are considered sensitive and were observed at the site during the assessment.
The report found the site includes wetlands, aspen forest and grassland. The latter was not classified as a natural area, but the wetlands meet criteria to be considered environmentally sensitive and the forest a significant natural area.
However, mitigation measures – including keeping the bike skills park to the grassland area – were suggested if the project is to go forward.
General manager of community and protective services Chris Jardine presented the report to council and acknowledged it would have been easier if the assessment had come back “clean” rather than with some potential issues.
But he pointed out if they proceed by following the mitigation measures that they should be able to minimize environmental impacts.
The best way to determine if those mitigation measures would work while still building a good mountain bike skills park is to proceed to the design stage, Jardine said.
When asked about potential flooding at the site, Jardine said city staff consulted “don’t see this as being a big challenge” but added a flood plain analysis would be part of the next steps taken in planning the park.
Council applauded the report’s honesty but wanted to know if there was any additional money needed outside of the $200,000 originally set aside for the project.
“That’s the amount of money we’ve been given, that’s the amount of money we will build to,” Jardine said.
So far they have spent $26,872 on preliminary planning work, with a design expected to cost $10,000 and the flood plain $5,000. This would leave just under $160,000 to actually construct the facility.
The city has been planning to build a mountain bike skills park since the idea was first pitched to a previous council back in 2009.
Controversy marked the site selection process, with sites in Lacombe and Grandin being thoroughly denounced by residents.
Feedback during the most recent round of public consultation indicated the majority of residents would be fine with such a park being built in the industrial area of Riel.
The site selected is already hooked into the Red Willow trail system.
“This has been five years in the making,” said Coun. Wes Brodhead when making the motions to receive the report.
