Improving pedestrian access to the Sheep River is this year’s trend as the Town of Turner Valley works to improve recreation.
After allocating $100,000 to recreation in its 2020 budget last fall, Turner Valley Town council agreed at its Jan. 20 meeting to spend the funds on commencing a multi-use day area on seven acres of Town-owned land west of Decalta Road on the south side of the Sheep River, and establishing a walking trail from the south end of Robert Street to Turner Gate and east to Turner Drive to connect to the Sheep River.
The day-use area, dubbed Arrowhead Park due to its arrow shape pointing west, received unanimous support from council last week to construct an access road, 10-15 vehicle gravel parking lot and required signage with an estimated price tag of $55,000.
Coun. Jamie Wilkie, council representative for the Turner Valley park, paths and recreation committee, told council that Arrowhead Park meets the committee’s objective of making Turner Valley a destination community.
“River access is key to that,” he said. “It also recognizes the environment we’re in where resources are limited, but it still makes what I see as capital investments in facilities for the long term. It will have less of an ongoing cost burden on the Town long term.”
Proposed additions to Arrowhead Park in the coming years include an off-leash dog park, dog agility course, washrooms, pathways, pump track and observation deck.
The park was proposed to the public at two open houses and in an online survey last summer with great response, said Wilkie.
“It had very strong public support and it’s a nice piece of riverfront that we own that I’d love to see put to use for something like this,” he said.
Gerry Melenka, Turner Valley director of development and infrastructure, said the initial price tag to build the access road and parking lot came in at about $150,000, but having the work completed in-house dropped the estimate to $55,000.
“Keeping materials on site will reduce costs significantly,” he told council. “It may allow us to use some of those materials in other aspects of the park facility whether it be a ball park or pathways.”
To keep costs at a minimum, Melenka suggested the Town solicit donations and volunteers for expenses like gravel, signs and benches, as well as engage volunteers in a spring cleanup to remove debris from the site.
“Where possible, we would like this to be a grassroots initiative for the park,” he said.
If funds allow, Melenka said benches, garbage receptacles and additional signage could be added to the parking lot this year.
As for future plans, Melenka said it’s up to council to decide.
“The amenities proposed are just that, they’re proposed,” he said, adding a suggestion box could be placed at the site to solicit feedback. “Every year we will come for a capital budget ask. It’s incremental depending on what we put in there and the level of contributions and volunteer support.”
Coun. Cindy Holladay expressed support for the project, telling council that providing river access to residents is crucial.
Mayor Barry Crane agreed, saying it’s both a great idea and great concept.
“I look forward to seeing it all developed,” he said. “I especially look forward to an off-leash dog park in town.”
Coun. John Waring told council the project also has his support.
“It was very obvious at the open houses - I went to both them - that there was a great deal of public interest in this,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the progression and increments every year. If you’re looking for volunteers you can put my name on the list.”
The construction of Turner Trail, which would run from Robert Street to the Sheep River, is estimated to cost $45,000, taking up the remaining of the $100,000, Melenka told council after it approved spending $55,000 on Arrowhead Park.
“This is our attempt to try to spread the money where we can,” he told council. “Some pathways were a higher priority but came with a higher price tag.”
Wilkie, who’s walked the unofficial trail, told council it’s a gorgeous spot with several people using it year round to access the river.
“We’ve got this money in the budget,” he said. “It’s making incremental moves, and you get some people down there and they really want that river walk trail. Maybe that’s another volunteer community-led effort we can work on.”
Coun. Lana Hamilton also supported the project, telling council it’s one of the few trail systems in Turner Valley that lead somewhere.
“The pathways in Turner Valley don’t seem to go anywhere - you go on a path and it seems to dead end,” she said. “This leads nicely toward connectivity of getting Robert Street down to Okalta and hopefully down to the river.”
Holladay was the only councillor to not support the project after expressing concern that it’s not the parks, paths and recreation committee’s top priority for pathway development.
“I’m not familiar enough with how many people are walking from that area down but it does worry me when we say this is only our third or fourth (priority) on the list rather than saving and waiting to get our No. 1,” she said. “Not living over there, not knowing the amount of traffic, not knowing what’s going on with our No. 1 and No. 2 priorities I’m not super excited about this one. If you keep spending on the little things you never have enough money for the big ones.”
