Help Save Big Hill Springs Park from Gravel mines

Protect Big Hill Springs Park from gravel mines 


New Direction: Protection for and Expansion of Big Hill Creek Provincial Park

May 11

Bighill Creek Preservation Society regrets that it has to change the purpose of its fund request. We hope our re-direction will encourage you to continue to support our efforts. Lawyers for Friends of Big Hill Creek Provincial Park have advised that pursuit of a Judicial Review of the Rocky View Council’s decision to approval gravel development near the park would not be fruitful. This is causing us to adjust our route to protection of the Big Hill Springs Provincial Park. We are now turning our efforts more toward more public engagement to create political pressure and encourage regulatory intervention. We’ll pursue initiatives similar to those used by the Defend our Parks campaign. When Big Hill Spring Provincial Park re-opens this summer we’ll be there to let people know the risks our Park faces.

 The renovation of the Park and gravel pit battle has highlighted that the Park is too small and too exposed to nearby developments- including gravel mines. We see the need for development buffers surrounding our undersized and overused Park.  There are many possibilities to conserve key adjacent lands- including as the buffalo jump across the coulee from the Park. We believe that people cannot properly value what they haven’t experienced. To protect our natural heritage and offer experiences in nature, we plan to redouble our efforts to promote creation of walking and cycling routes. These would connect Cochrane to the Park, with access to Glenbow Ranche Provincial Park as envisaged in the RVC Open Spaces Master Plan.  (Link) We need to save the Park create, a protective buffer and expand opportunities for activity in nature.  Will you help us to make this happen?

About:

Please note Bighill Creek Preservation Society was created out of a love and passion for the Big Hill Springs area. We are all volunteers*

Rocky View County recently approved land re-designation to allow gravel mining adjacent to Big Hill Springs Provincial Park atop the aquifer that sustains the Park and half the flow to Bighill Creek. Although small, this creek is an important source of consistently high quality water entering the Bow River.

The County rejected the advice of a well researched report outlining the resultant risks of gravel mining authored by Dr. Jon Fennel, a recognized Hydrogeological expert. Along with their failure to accept considerable opposition from local residents, they also dismissed a letter in opposition from Alberta Environment and Parks.

This development represents two of potentially eight quarter sections of mines on this aquifer which would excavate to within one meter of the water table. Scientific studies show that removing the protective filter of top soil and overburden of up to 25 meters of gravel will expose ground water to damage from chemical leaks from mine operations and other contamination. Additionally, these mines could release harmful natural chemicals such as arsenic, chromium and selenium and could increase the risk of turbidity.

Around 250,000 Calgary and area residents enjoy this small jewel of a Park each year. Degradation of the water could also harm the nationally significant springs and tufa formations - hallmarks of the Park. With water supplies forecast to be under increasing stress in the years ahead, maintaining all existing high quality source water is important. Allowing gravel mines on critical aquifers is an activity contrary to the City of Calgary’s own Source Water Protection Plan and could set a dangerous precedent for the approval of other gravel mining operations planned directly on the banks of the Bow River west of Cochrane.

How you can help:

It would be our hope that you help us influence Rocky View County to defer all land use re-designation and development approvals for mines adjacent the Park and other sensitive watershed areas until a thorough review of their cumulative effects can occur.

Your donation today will go directly towards our efforts in carrying out a judicial review which reviews a decision that has been made by an administrative tribunal or an administrative decision maker. A Supreme Court Justice decides whether the tribunal or decision maker had the authority to make the decision it did. It is not an appeal. In this case, we strongly believe Rocky View County made the wrong decision by voting in favor of the gravel mines.

Please help us with our legal fees and in turn play a significant part in preserving this area for yourselves and future generations.

All money raised goes directly to Bighill Creek Preservation Society for a Judicial Review and if we raise more than needed all donations go towards the studies involved in the preservation of this area.

Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Gerry Bietz, President Bighill Creek Preservation Society