Royalite residents are calling efforts to prevent traffic from using a closed road through a nearby golf course insufficient.
Drivers are gaining easy access to Imperial Drive east and west of the Turner Valley Golf Club in spite of bollards and cement barricades put in place this past summer in an attempt to close a portion of the road to the public.
Motorists are accessing the road by driving around the concrete barricades on a sandy ground surface west of the golf course, while others coming from the east are able to get onto Imperial Drive through the golf course’s parking lot and a gravel approach.
“While the golf course was open it wasn’t uncommon to see 20 to 30 vehicles during tournaments,” said resident Ron Thomson. “The Town did a inadequate job of fully barricading off the west portion of the access into the golf course from Royalite Way.”
Town council passed a bylaw in 2006 to close the section of Imperial Drive and extend Royalite Way to 16th Avenue. The changes were made at the time in expectation of increased traffic from a proposed 700 home development.
The development didn’t occur, the road wasn’t built and the issue wasn’t revisited until after the 2013 flood when west Imperial Drive was deemed unsafe due to erosion of the river bank close to the road.
The Town received provincial and federal funding to close Imperial Drive and construct the Royalite Way extension to the south.
During public meetings held by the Town, a number of residents opposed closing the road through the golf course, which provides direct access to Black Diamond.
Among them was Murray Knowler.
Throughout September and part of October, Knowler watched several motorists bypass the barricades during the golf course season.
He said there should be better signage stating the road is for emergency vehicle access only and signs should be placed along Highway 22 letting motorists know it’s not a through road.
“It’s not a good system,” he said. “People can still go around.”
Knowler said attempts by the Town and golf course to keep vehicles from accessing the road are inadequate.
“The closure at the golf course has never been secure because it is easily bypassed by driving through their parking lot,” he said. “If the golf course was serious about the road closure why did they remove the parking curbs to make it more accessible for cars and trucks to get through and why did they not post signs?”
Barry Williamson, Turner Valley chief administrative officer, said the barricades are temporary and the Town is in the process of ordering gates to be installed at both ends of the golf course along Imperial Drive.
Williamson said the Town received several complaints regarding vehicles accessing the road and, in response, increased presence of its peace officers in the area.
“There might have been some frustrated people who were trying to get reoriented or trying to find a short cut or just not wanting to be compliant and were looking for ways to get around it,” he said. “Once that enforcement was put up there it really died quickly, and also when the season died down. It’s not much of a problem now.”
Williamson said he hasn’t heard any reports since the golf course closed for the season, but is planning to meet with members of the Turner Valley Golf Club to discuss the issue of traffic accessing the road from the parking lot and from the alley north of the west barricades.
He said the emergency access gates are expected to be installed in about a month.
In the meantime, Williamson said the bollards allow enough space for fire trucks and ambulances to enter Imperial Drive.
Williamson said anyone who sees vehicles accessing the road are encouraged to record the license plate number and contact the Town at turnervalleyadmin.ca
Motorists found trespassing through the Imperial Drive emergency access area could face fines starting at $233.
