Plamondon’s new Campsite Road boat launch is getting a boat-load of compliments, says the area’s municipal councillor, but there’s another angle to the story … a steep one.
“I’ve been receiving nothing but positive comments, people are really liking it … but it is really steep,” says Colette Borgun.
The new site, located just a few hundred metres south of the old Whitesands location on Campsite Road, was cleared for construction a year ago, and officially opened a little over a month ago.
The sharp angle of the slope was confirmed by the municipality’s top recreation and public works managers last week.
“The pads were put in last Fall … but the elevation was too steep,” says Lac La Biche County’s associate CAO or Recreation Services Darrell Lessmeister.
Associate CAO of Infrastructure Services Brian Shapka says the angle error was made early in the engineering process of the site, which has been in the works for several years.
“When the engineers first looked at it, the lake was two or three feet higher,” he explained.
Over the years of planning for the new site — needed after the closure of the launch at the Whitesands campsite due to disrepair — delays took place due to the discovery of suspected historic artifacts, environmental guidelines and weather. Over the same time-period, the water levels of the lake fluctuated.
The slope was modified somewhat after the findings, with more materials brought to adjust some elevations. The extra work added time and money to the project, which missed its May long-weekend opening date and was instead opened to the public on May 27. The cost of the project came in just under $300,000 — and increase of about $70,000 over its initial budget.
Deep water
While the slope of the launch is still a little sharper than other county-maintained sites in the region, says Lessmeister, the selection of the site was made due to the significant lake-bottom drop-off along that section of shoreline, allowing for easier loading and unloading.
Despite the challenges, Lessmeister says the Campsite Road boat launch was a public priority that has been addressed.
“The May 2022 completion of the Campsite Road Boat (Launch) was priority for the community and County Council,” he said, adding that the new site will be well-utilized for years to come. “The newly established Campsite (Road) Boat Launch is proving to be an asset to residents and tourists that visit our County — this will continue to be an asset for years to come.
Future plans for the site also include a paving overlay. That paving project will coincide with the eventual paving of Campsite Road.
Taking calls about the boat launch over the last month, councuillor Borgun says she has not received any negative comments. Not one.
“People are saying how awesome it is. They’re saying it’s the best boat launch in the county,” she told Lakeland This Week.
Lac La Biche County operates 13 public boat launch site in the region, with 10 on Lac la Biche Lake.
A new study of all municipal boat launches is expected to be compiled and ready for review in August.
