The Vezeau Beach boat launch has been a sore spot for water sport enthusiast across the region and the MD is planning to fix that.
High water levels and ice build up have caused damage to the launch, which is a common theme amongst others across the MD.
“They get beat up every winter when we have the ice move in. It doesn’t matter how big those concrete pads are, it either chips away at them, exposes rebar, washes rock away, or pushes them right on shore,” stated general manager of parks, recreation, and culture for the MD, Chris McCord.
This summer, the municipality is plucking away at repairing the Vezeau Beach boat launch, but continue to wait for approvals from Alberta Environment and Parks.
“Our delays there have been with Alberta Environment and Parks and getting that approval to do something on the water. We can’t just go out and do it on our own, we have to have approval, and that’s been the main delay,” Reeve Greg Sawchuk said.
Now that the municipality has removed all of the damaged pieces of the boat launch, they’re considering a simpler structure to replace it with.
McCord described it as “something that would be easy to remove in the fall and install in the late spring once the ice is off.”
Their application with Alberta Environment relates to the anchors required to hold the new launch system in place.
In the meantime, McCord noted, a diver is flagging all of the existing anchors.
”We know some of them have shifted with the ice and water, so we want to see where they are and which ones we can use to set up a temporary launch system.”
The MD will have a gangway and dock piece installed so the launch can be utilized while they wait for the go-ahead from the province.
“At least then we can have it open and from that point we will take a look at where we’re going to put the anchors once we get the approvals for the full system,” outlined McCord.
4Sawchuk said because of the popularity of the boat launch not only by their own residents, but also by tourists, repairing it has been made a priority.
Although it’s the “primary launching point,” other launches in the MD are also under the watchful eye of the municipality.
According to McCord, the MD is keeping tabs on other boat launches and maintaining them as needed.
“We have to do a full assessment of those eventually and see what kind of work needs to be done. We do have applications in with Alberta Environment for all of our boat launches, because everything we touch, especially when it’s water-related, requires approval,” she expressed.
Sawchuk added, “Once you’re past the shoreline, you’re into Alberta Environment and Parks, and unfortunately, it’s been a frustration that level of government doesn’t move as fast as we would like on what should be a pretty simple issue.”
McCord identified Manatokan Lake as another launching area they have on their radar.
“That’s going to be one of our priority ones,” she stated.
Anyone with any concerns regarding boat launches in the area is encouraged to contact the MD Sawchuk said, by calling their 780-812-5000 line.
