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Wetland along the Red Deer River where moose and other wildlife are often seen grazing. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)
preserving nature

Wetlands throughout Red Deer to see half million dollars in upgrades

Jun 24, 2019 | 7:35 PM

Red Deer’s volume of wetlands will see a surge in the coming years.

On Monday, city council carried a resolution that will see The City keep $504,000 it would otherwise owe to Alberta Environment & Parks.

In accordance with the Alberta Water Act and Alberta Wetland Policy, municipalities must pay up every time they develop over wetlands, which The City did in the Queen’s Business Park area in 2017. Those funds, which have historically also gone to Ducks Unlimited, would fund future wetland replacement.

However, there is a provision The City is taking advantage of — and only recently found out about — which allows it to keep the money to spend on wetland development within its own boundaries.

Councillor Michael Dawe, who also represents the Red Deer River Watershed Alliance and Red Deer River Municipal Users Group, says The City has a history of giving plenty of attention to its wetlands.

“Have there been wetlands lost over the last 100 years? Of course, but The City of Red Deer is also very conscious of preserving certain areas. Leading examples include the Michael O’Brien Wetland Area on the edge of the Michener Centre site, and another one is the Piper Creek restoration project where a number of things have been done to preserve the ecology there,” Dawe says.

“Gaetz Lakes — those are two oxbow lakes from the old bends of the Red Deer River. Back in 1922, local citizens applied for it to become a dominion bird sanctuary, then in 1950 it was designated as a wildlife park, and was more recently was incorporated into the Waskasoo Urban Park Project to make sure it had permanent preservation.”

Kelly Kloss, Director of Development Services, says staff will talk with stakeholders and then make recommendations to council for where the half million dollars should be directed.

“The City continues to look for opportunities on how we can enhance Red Deer as a whole,” Kloss says.

“While Ducks Unlimited was a very good body to utilize the money, often it was utilized outside the city.”