River Valley Alliance

The RVA is committed to the protection and preservation of the outstanding natural features of the river valley, its green space and its wildlife. Our Plan of Action strongly focuses on maintaining and where possible enhancing the environmental integrity of the river valley, including reclamation. Any developments proposed within our Plan will be reviewed as to whether they are appropriate within that context. Implementation of the Plan of Action will be subject to further public review through the statutory processes of our municipal shareholders. This will ensure that the environmental concerns of the public and stakeholders are heard and addressed on each site-specific project initiative.

In some cases the Plan may have to be adjusted in the future to ensure environmental issues are appropriately addressed and mitigated.

The RVA is not opposed to development that is appropriate and that respects the goals and objectives of our Plan of Action. The zoning and development intent for specific parcels of land within the river valley is generally outlined in various statutory plans developed by our municipal shareholders. The management and human use of those parcels are already articulated in municipal bylaws and other municipal policies, and are within the mandate of the respective municipality in responding to its taxpayer needs. Each development node included in the Plan of Action has yet to go through processes of public input.

Alberta and the Capital Region are experiencing enormous growth. Perhaps like never before in our history, there is a growing recognition of the importance of planning ahead, anticipating the impact of new developments, preserving the environment and not compromising the quality of life we value so highly.

The seven municipalities involved have done a good job of protecting the river valley from major developments. But without the commitment and funding to make it happen- there is no guarantee that the river valley as we know it today will be there for generations of Albertans to enjoy.

Currently the river valley park system receives almost 10 million visits a year. If special events and reports of usage by user groups are included that number exceeds 14 million visits a year—making the current park system the most visited park site in Alberta.

Projections indicate these numbers could grow rapidly over the next few years as a result of population growth in the region and increased awareness of the river valley’s assets and opportunities. Over the next 25 years, another half million people are expected to make this region home.

We do not expect all of the funding to materialize overnight. For example, over $500 million has already been invested in the river valley over the past 50 years through funding from all orders of government, the business community, the not for profit sector, and many private citizens. This history of sourcing partnered community funding will be carried on by the RVA.

The RVA has and continues to identify opportunities to create partnerships towards implementing the Plan of Action. A timely $50 million investment by the Government of Alberta in 2008 is providing the catalyst and leverage to bring a number of interested potential partners to the table with funding as well as stewardship support. We are actively pursuing the participation of the Federal government, and to date have received strong support in principle for the Plan.

The RVA has already started to partner in the development of some trail, boat launch and day use park developments. It may take a few decades to finish the full context of the Plan, and it will be implemented in a timely way to make judicious use of funds available and to ensure the needs of future residents are being met.

As part of our public consultation process during the preparation of the Plan of Action, a number of private landowners came forward to express their views on the Plan and how it impacted their property, lifestyle and future plans. A number of landowners are very concerned about the environmental quality of the river valley. We were encouraged to see a willingness to work with the RVA and our municipal shareholders to see the Plan of Action initiated. In some cases our draft Plan was adjusted to accommodate landowner concerns, and additional adjustments may be necessary to ensure the interests of private landowners are respected. We will work with our municipal shareholders, landowners and other stakeholders to explore all options available, including donations of land, conservation easements, and land purchases to secure the land base for the future.

Ensuring a sound, future plan for the river valley pays off for everyone- for the people who want to see the river valley protected and preserved, for the people who walk and cycle the trails, fish, ski, and canoe on the river, for the people who see the potential for an outstanding tourism destination, and for the people who value and want to understand our history and culture.

There are many examples where creating and preserving an urban park has contributed substantially to a city’s quality of life – think of Vancouver and Stanley Park, Winnipeg and the Forks, or New York and Central Park.

The tourism potential of the river valley is also enormous and can add to job creation in the region. For people who already live in the region, the proposed park would enhance quality of life and provide exceptional recreational opportunities, and help build their futures in Alberta and the Capital Region. Overall it is estimated that implementing the full scope of the Plan will contribute $179 million per year in economic benefits to the regional economy.

The Plan of Action is not just about the river valley, but more importantly about building a great metropolitan region that includes, at its core, a future that is healthy, prosperous, sustainable, a source of pride and an example to be emulated by other communities.