COCHRANE— A proposed tourism project located on the banks of the Bow River, is making waves in the community of Riversong.
No Wave Park coordinator Bruce Townley said a group opposing the creation of the park launched after a presentation was made to Cochrane Council regarding the proposed construction of the tourist attraction in November 2020. The Facebook group No Wave Park Cochrane currently has 123 members.
The key goal of the online group is to educate the public before the project moves to the next steps.
“I think we have a moral duty to protect our natural environment and wildlife for future generations,” Townley said. “Monetizing our natural assets has proven to be a huge mistake time and time again.”
Townley said he and other members of the online group found the actions proposed in the presentation “disturbing,” especially in regards to the potential impact on the environment and Bow River and the proposed usage of the area for nine months out of the year.
The proposed park has struck a chord in the community based on several factors, he said. Townley explained from the groups perspective the impact on the natural environment is of grave concern, the potential debt load placed on tax payers should be discussed, the effect on property value is important, the quality of life for those by the Bow River would be impacted and community input has been lacking.
At a Cochrane Council meeting in November 2020 executive director of Cochrane Tourism Jo-Anne Oucharek and Surf Anywhere president Neil Egsgard shared information on the feasibility of developing a river wave park on the Bow River.
The study was conducted to understand the economic, community and cultural impact of creating a river wave park in Cochrane.
Based on the study a location on the Bow River upriver from the Jack Tennant Memorial Bridge and below the Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park was deemed the best area to create the river wave park. The area was chosen because the eroding river banks can be restored and the river naturally splits in two. The dog park in the area would not be affected.
The total cost of the project with contingencies in place is estimated to be around $9.9 million.
Egsgard noted the biggest reason communities are looking at projects of this nature are the proven economic impacts they have. Globally wave tourism is valued at around $50 billion each year.
The River Wave Park project is being overseen by the Cochrane River Wave Park Steering Committee and includes representatives from Cochrane Tourism, the Alberta Whitewater Association, the Alberta River Surfing Association, the Town of Cochrane, Cochrane Fire Services, the Professional River Outfitters Association of Alberta, the Cochrane Environmental Action Committee and the Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce.
The feasibility study projected the park would generate about $1,654,000 each year based on 30 per cent capacity fully repaying the investment in around three to seven years. If the proposed park reached 100 per cent capacity it would potentially generate $5,515,000 a year. It is estimated around 26,500 tourists would visit the resource each year spending around two hours each on the waves. These calculations were based on having two active 10-metre waves active from March to November.
Cochrane Tourism recently released an online survey regarding the potential construction of a River Wave Park on the Bow River. Cochrane Tourism released a previous survey that resulted in 92 per cent of respondents indicating they want improved river access in Cochrane.
The wave park is still in the conceptual phase of planning and has not been green-lit for construction.
Townley lives in Riveria and he and his neighbours have been concerned because they were unfamiliar with the $10 million project that will impact their neighbourhood.
“That started causing us some concerns,” Townley said. “There has been some less then forthcoming information from the people that are driving this project.”
Members of No Wave Park Cochrane have spoken with Bend, Oregon— A community home to a similar Wave Park like the one be proposed in Cochrane. These conversations have only fuelled his and other members concerns with the proposed project.
“It gives us energy and we want to keep building on that,” Townley said.
An onus is on the Town of Cochrane, Cochrane Council and Cochrane Tourism to communicate with the community to clearly explain the proposed plans for the Bow River. To date, Townley said this area has been lacking.
From his experience public engagement is pivotal to ensure proper feedback has been received in regards to public projects of this nature— Especially those who have been impacted the most.
“It’s pretty simple here— They need to start following the book on public engagement for dummies, because they’re not,” Townley said. “That needs to be addressed— They have a moral obligation to do what is best and to what they can to engage the public, and right now that’s just not happening.”
For more information on No Wave Park Cochrane visit their Facebook Page.
