Strathcona Country delight - Riverside nature trail
Riverside nature trail in Strathcona County is a hidden gem of a trail that you can do as either a 5 km in-and-out route, a 5 km loop, or walk 11 km all the way to Fort Saskatchewan and the West River’s Edge trail.
Eventually this trail will connect to Edmonton via a pedestrian footbridge over the river to the East End Trails, which are visible from this trailhead. This is an easy-moderate walk on flat gravel and dirt trails with slight inclines. Bikes and dogs on-leash are allowed. There is one garbage can at the trailhead, but no outhouses or bathrooms.
To get to the trailhead, follow Township Road 540 all the way west to its termination. You can access Township Road 540 from Sherwood Drive/Range Road 232. The trailhead has a small parking lot. More info at https://rivervalley.ab.ca/trail-treks/trailtrek-how-to-riverside-nature-trail/
Gondola feasibility on Council agenda
A gondola with five stations from Gateway Blvd & 82 Ave to Telus Plaza at 100 St & 100 Ave will be on the Urban Planning Committee’s agenda on January 28. Prairie Sky, the gondola proponent, intends to operate a service 360 days per year for 16 hours per day to satisfy urban commuters and generate a winter city experience that touches the river valley year-round.
Prairie Sky wants to generate an events and festival business in West Rossdale. It claims an unprecedented level of engagement with indigenous communities on the significance of the 8000-year history of West Rossdale and states the entire experience of Prairie Sky will share and celebrate the people and the land.
Prairie Sky anticipates 3,062,000 trips in the first year from 637,000 unique customers who will ride the system more than once, though it notes ridership forecasts are notoriously fickle. The company wants successful negotiation of an agreement framework with the City of Edmonton by June 2020. To access this item and its two reports, click on agenda item 6.1 at
http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=2647&doctype=AGENDA
If you wish to speak to this item, contact the Office of the City Clerk at city.clerk@edmonton.ca or 780.496.8178 to register to speak. The other option is to show up before meeting begins at 9.30 am at City Hall and inform the Clerk that you wish to speak.
River valley – Edmonton’s natural climate solution
Our river valley, ravines and natural areas contain a magic machine that sucks carbon out of the air, costs very little, and builds itself. It’s called a tree. Trees are examples of a natural climate solution. They take carbon out of the air and lock it away. Nature is a tool we can use to repair our broken climate. We need to protect, restore and fund Edmonton’s natural climate solutions.
The City needs to protect existing natural areas which serve as natural carbon sinks. The removal of these areas due to land conversion leads to the release of carbon and reduction in available carbon sinks. Protection of the City’s natural systems also promotes climate resilience and maximizes the benefits provided by ecosystem services.
Edmonton must focus on natural area restoration, a city-wide naturalization program and increased support for the North Saskatchewan river valley and ravine system. We need to develop a program to identify, prioritize, and invest in restoration and naturalization projects.
Trees contribute to negative emissions as they sequester carbon and reduce building energy demands due to shading and cooling. Natural climate solutions like planting trees can help Edmonton reach our emissions-reduction targets. Learn more about natural climate solutions by viewing the video at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-S14SjemfAg Share river valley event, job posting, or news
If you have a river valley event, job posting, or news that you would like to see published in this newsletter, please send the info to nsrivervalley@gmail.com
Sincerely yours,
Harvey Voogd
North Saskatchewan River Valley Conservation Society
780.691.1712
nsrivervalley@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/NSRVCS/
http://www.edmontonrivervalley.org/