If you were planning to pull your trailer to camp at the Airdrie Pro Rodeo from June 27 to July 1 at the grounds west of the city, you are out of luck.
Rocky View County (RVC) is exercising its right to enforce the land use bylaw in place for the rodeo grounds, which are located within the County, and will not allow onsite camping for visitors. Competitors will still be able to camp at the site.
“The land use designation for the site of the Airdrie Pro Rodeo is limited to equestrian events. Public camping or a concert on the site are not permitted activities,” said Manager of Enforcement Services Lorraine Wesley-Riley in an email to the Airdrie City View.
“Rocky View County enforces its land use bylaw on a complaint basis. In the past, camping and music have been low-key activities and not disruptive to neighbours, so the County did not become involved. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case, and we have received complaints,” she added.
Grant Kaiser, manager of Communications Services for RVC, would not say how many complaints have been received but that they centred around concerns about noise, garbage, parking and traffic.
Wayne Hanson, vice-president of the Airdrie Rodeo Ranch Association, said the organization was aware there had been some complaints and the group was trying to work on a solution with neighbours around the rodeo grounds.
“We had a couple of open houses with the City out at Goldenrod Hall (on Highway 567),” he said. “We have talked to the neighbours. Some of them have some complaints on some of the events we host. RVC didn’t show up for those open houses and wouldn’t tell us who the mad people are or what the complaints were.”
Hanson said they only recently found out onsite camping was going to be an issue this year.
“The County contacted us on June 4 and brought it to our attention that we were in non-compliance by having (onsite camping.) They have the ability to shut down everything we do except for the rodeo,” Hanson said. “We decided co-operation and compliance was the best way to go. ”
The County is allowing organizers to go ahead with concerts and beer gardens as planned this year, according to Wesley-Riley. The rodeo features concerts on four of the five nights of the event.
Hanson said the organization began to officially allow onsite camping for visitors three years ago, after it had been happening informally for many years.
“We tried to organize it. They were just kind of pulling in and setting up a tent, so we organized so it was more orderly,” he said. “They’ve been camping there forever, pulling in and just enjoying the country life for a few days.”
Competitors will still be allowed to camp onsite, according to Hanson.
“There are equine athletes and human athletes – that’s why it’s important. Some of those horses have been on the road for thousands of miles that weekend and they need their safety and a spot to relax.”
Hanson said he is hoping the inability to camp onsite won’t impact the number of people showing up for the popular annual event.
“We (allowed onsite camping) for a number of reasons, one of them being safety,” he said. “We do have buses running back and forth to Airdrie and we do have taxis available. It’s a small number of people who camp who come to the rodeo. I know those guys are really disappointed and I feel bad for them, but we have to follow the rules.”
According to Hanson, approximately 10,000 people attend the five-day rodeo each year.
Hanson said organizers have made other arrangements for off-site camping at the Beaver Dam Golf Course in Madden.
“They have a brand new facility out there, and they will make tickets available for anyone staying there,” he said.
Moving forward, Wesley-Riley said rodeo organizers and RVC will need to work together to come up with a solution for future years.
“Next year, we will enforce both the no-camping and no-concert rules, unless a land use designation change has been granted,” she said in the email. “The County has offered to work with the event organizers on applying for the needed land use designation. That will require a re-designation application that would go to Council for consideration at a public hearing.”
