2021 was another big year for the parks in Drayton Valley and Brazeau County.
The Eagle Point Blue Rapids Park Council recently paid a visit to Drayton Valley town council to deliver their year-end report for 2021.
The Park Council is an organization dedicated to maintaining and caring for Eagle Point Provincial Park and the Blue Rapids Provincial Recreation Area.
One thing the Park Council highlighted was the growth of their educational programs. Park Council representative Sandra Bannard, announced they will soon be rolling out a catalogue with 25 courses that people can take. She says they’ve received positive feedback on their programs, and their stakeholders say they love how the programs are evolving.
Bannard also revealed they are still working on two capital projects in the parks.
The first is upgrading the off highway vehicle (OHV) trails in Blue Rapids. The provincial government contributed the funding to get the project going in 2020. The project is now almost completed. For the final step, the Parks Council will be constructing a rest area using a kiosk donated by the Town of Drayton Valley.
The second is constructing a staging area for the Drayton Valley Horse Club. The staging area will be constructed in the Violet Grove area, and will include five campsites and a trail system. According to Bannard, the staging area is almost done. The last step is cutting the trails.
Bannard wrapped up her presentations by thanking the Town for their financial contributions. The Town donated more than $7000 for the Parks Council’s various events in 2021.
Councillor Tom McGee was curious about the relationship with the Drayton Valley Horse Club and how the Parks Council got involved in building these horse trails near Violet Grove.
As Bannard explained it, the horse trails are a project that the Horse Club had been developing in conjunction with the Province since 2013. By 2020, the Horse Club had raised over $140,000 for the project, and approached the Parks Council for help in managing it.
McGee also expressed his admiration for the Parks Council’s financial statement. Bannard revealed that, in recent years, the Province has been a very generous partner.
“This is the first year that I have worked for the organization where they have approved our entire operating grant, which is huge,” said Bannard. “It speaks to me of how, when we can all work together and all contribute a bit, how much work we can get done for a very reasonable cost.”
With all the talk of OHV and horse trails, Councillor Amila Gammina asked about rumours he had heard of mountain bike trails being added.
Bannard added yes, mountain bike trails are being built. The bike trails are a project of the Pembina Nordic Club, with the goal that they can double as snowshoe trails in the winter. Bannard had nothing but praise for the Nordic Club and the work they are doing.
At the conclusion of the presentation, Mayor Nancy Dodds expressed her pleasure that the Province had been contributing so much.
“We have so much beauty to celebrate, and Eagle Point plays such a big part in that.”
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