Exploration of Oleskiw Trails

On Thursday, July 10,^th a cool and blustery afternoon and evening, Councillor Ben Henderson, at the invitation of the Edmonton Nature Club, took part in a walk in the Oleskiw River Valley along with Shirley Coulson (leader) and three other ENC members.

The purpose was to show the Councillor the various trail options that have been proposed by Edmonton Parks' for a paved trail connecting Fort Edmonton footbridge to the new Terwillegar Park footbridge under construction. We walked along the single-track river edge trail, the one favoured by Parks administration for paving but opposed by naturalists on account of the environmental damage this would cause, and returned along the open trail at the base of the escarpment.

The following birds were noted:

yellow warbler,

black-capped chickadee,

Philadelphia vireo,

song sparrow,

a sparrow frequenting grass,

American robin,

red-tailed hawk,

Franklin's gulls,

ring-billed gulls and

bank swallows.

A highlight of the observations was seeing three or possibly four ospreys circling high above the river and hearing their distinctive cries, right over where the footbridge is to be constructed.

(P.S. On a canoe trip (Sat, July 12^th) on the N. Sask. River  from the Anthony Henday Hwy (westend) to Goldbar (50^th St) one osprey was observed carrying a huge stick (nesting material)  across the river right at the Henday bridge and then a 2^nd one was seen perching on a tree right by the pumphouse for the Golf & Country Club water intake. Anybody else has seen ospreys in this vicinity? HT)

Botanical highlights included noting two plants that are known to occur in the river valley but are not common: bracted bog orchid (Coeloglossum viride) in full flower, and ebony sedge (Carex eburnea), in fruit.

There were no fewer than four distinct bedstraws along the trails and in the meadow: two native species, northern bedstraw and sweet-scented bedstraw (Galium boreale and G. triflorum, respectively), yellow or lady's-bedstraw (G. verum), an alien species that is possibly restricted to that part of Edmonton but occurs there in large numbers, and a white-flowered bedstraw that could have been a cross between northern and yellow bedstraw and requires further investigation. Disappointingly, a rather large amount of caraway (Carum carvi) occurs in that area and as a weed should not be allowed to spread.  The mystery climber, noted in the winter, turned out to be wild morning-glory, Convolvulus sepium, unmistakable with its big white trumpet flowers; it is not native, but can be seen growing in the ravines, presumably as a reject with garden refuse.

Reported by Patsy Coterrill , with input from Shirley Coulson and Hubert Taube

Public Survey for Terwillegar Park Oleskiw Trail

For anyone who was unable to attend the Public Open House on the fate of the trail to go through Oleskiw Park, an

online survey may be filled out until Sunday, June 8.

Although city councillors thought Option 4 was the best option, it was arbitrarily ruled out by the consultants and the administration, prior to the open house, and left off the survey. It was still shown on the map as running along the western fringe of the forest; a cross-trail to a viewpoint would be possible. Respondents should still comment on option 4 on their survey form if they so desire. It's most important to complete the survey if you feel that option 4 is the best - they are asking for public opinion after all!

Be aware that Option 2 will destroy populations of rare ebony sedge, otherwise found mainly along mountain rivers.

Please take the time to complete the survey and provide your comments on specific trail considerations. Continue to watch for updates here.

News links for Terwillegar Trails

Here are links for news on the Open House held last Saturday:

The Edmonton Journal Newspaper
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/edmonton/River+valley+fans+offer+feedback+three+Terwillegar+trail/9896291/story.html


CBC News    Television
Video footage included

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/residents-offer-feedback-on-terwillegar-footbridge-trail-options-1.2661329

Updated May 29th Oleskiw Trail: Location Still Up in the Air. Naturalists Input Needed at Open House!

On Saturday, May 31^st, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. the City is holding an Open House on the Terwillegar Park Footbridge and West End Trails, providing information and requesting public input.

Still not decided is the location of the trail connecting the Fort Edmonton footbridge to the new Terwillegar Park footbridge, on which construction will be starting soon (Oleskiw Trail).

Please continue to scroll down for details on the options.

OPTION 5 (Yellow) “Escarpment Trail”

An existing wide trail where paving with asphalt would cause the least amount of environmental damage and the least inhibition of wildlife movement. City administration did not originally consider it as an option and present it to Council because it was felt to provide a low value of user experience.

However, it has now come to light that archeological sites are known to occur under and/or near the trail, and in the interests of preserving historical artifacts we recognize that it would be better to construct the trail elsewhere to avoid disturbing them.

We are no longer suggesting this trail as the best option; we are promoting Option no. 4 (pink trail on the map) instead, possibly with some modifications, as our preferred trail option.

OPTION 4  (Pink) “Meadow Trail.” Preferred choice.

Recently ruled out by City administration and consultants citing a low value for user experience and a high potential impact on future park development. We suspect that it is this latter reason which is weighted most heavily by City administration despite the fact that this option has several pros: little or no environmental impact, ease of construction, low cost, and no impact on archeological resources. We have requested that this option be left in and presented at the Open House, but it is not clear whether it will be.

OPTION 3 (Orange)

This option would require less clearing than option 2. However, it would traverse riverine forest in its northern part, requiring considerable removal of vegetation and causing major disruption to wildlife habitat. Considered by administration to provide good user experience as it traverses forest close to the river edge for part of the route and runs along the meadow edge in the southern part. City administration does not like this option because they say it will impose constraints on future park development of the floodplain area.

OPTION 2  (Green) “River Edge Trail”

This is the route preferred by City administration but it is also the most environmentally destructive route and the one that ENC opposes categorically.

The City considers as pros that this trail has a diverse user experience, with access to the river’s edge and two viewpoints of the river, follows an existing trail, and will have a low impact on future park development (by this they mean it is safely tucked away from the main meadow where development may occur in the future).

The administration also argues that “environmental sign-off” has been given on this option. However, the environmental impact assessment (by Stantec) was done only on this option, not on other options. Hence environmental planners in the Office of Biodiversity were not able to evaluate any of the other options. When Shirley Coulson and Patsy Cotterill protested to Executive Committee of Council in April that this route was environmentally destructive and alternative routes along the escarpment or through the meadow had not been considered, administration was instructed by City Council to go back and evaluate the other options.

Another argument used by administration is that other options not providing riverside access will lead to cross-cutting and the creation of informal trails leading to the river. We refute this by saying that the vast majority of people do not randomly crash through bush – they will follow existing trails. Option no. 2 presently exists as a single file trail with two spur trails leading to (or from) the meadow. This will continue to exist for those who want a true nature experience, but most users will stick to a paved trail. In any case, precautions can be taken to ensure that a network of trails does not develop.

This trail will involve considerable amounts of tree cutting and vegetation removal in order to build a 3-metre-wide asphalt trail on top of the existing single-file trail. One can expect that the destruction connected to trail building will amount to at least 5 metres in width along its 2.5 km length.  In addition, this trail location will take out some 60 populations of a rare sedge, Carex eburnea, ebony sedge, which occurs mainly along mountain rivers, with one occurrence recorded for the North Saskatchewan River.

OPTION 1  (Blue)

Already ruled out, as the most environmentally damaging route, and will not be considered at the Open House.

CONCLUSION

Our preferred option is now no. 4.

 We ask the public under no circumstances to endorse option no. 2 because of its negative environmental impact. Remember that in the future much larger numbers of people will be using Oleskiw, accessing it from the two footbridges (Fort Edmonton and Terwillegar), Wanyandi Road and the trail crossing Patricia and Wolf Willow ravines. Imagine what a 3-metre-wide paved trail with year-round public usage (including grading of the trail in winter so there would be no snow cover to aid the movement of small mammals) will do to the natural character of the riverside trail!

We believe the integrity of the river valley as wildlife habitat and as an ecological corridor is at stake if option no. 2 is chosen.  

There are parks by the river already, such as Laurier, Hawrelak and many of the downtown city parks.  In contrast, we feel Oleskiw, with its high value as natural habitat, should remain relatively undeveloped.

City Councillors liked the idea of trail (exact location to be determined) through or along the meadow, as involving no tree clearance, and being shorter and cheaper.

Public opinion is important in the choice of trail route. Please plan to attend the Open House on Saturday and make your views known. 

This is a view of the riverside trail (taken May 18) looking northeast, with the opposite side of the river escarpment in the background. In the foreground on the left is a rare sedge, ebony sedge, or Carex eburnea, which is relatively common only in the mountains. The plan is to pave this trail over in its present alignment with 3 metres of asphalt. This would take out virtually all the populations of this sedge, many trees, shrubs and ground cover, impede animal movement, and with vastly increased public usage, disturb the activities of many animals. As the trail would be cleared in the winter, there would be year-round human presence. Consultants don’t deny the environmental damage but say they can “mitigate.” We suggest they mitigate by choosing another trail option, through a less sensitive area!

Submitted by Patsy Cotterill

Update on City of Edmonton’s Terwillegar Footbridge and Recreational Trails Plan

Report by Shirley Coulson and Patsy Cotterill

At the public hearing April 8 at City Hall Executive Committee of City Council agreed that the proposal, made by Shirley Coulson and Patsy Cotterill on behalf of the ENC, to locate the North Trail in Oleskiw River Valley along the escarpment rather than along the riverine forest (as per the plan), was worth considering, so this portion of the plan was not approved and was sent back to the administration (Parks Planning) for re-examination and a report at a later date. Cherry Dodd of the Edmonton Naturalization Group also spoke in favour this proposal.

The ENC proposal was supported by various councilors, the mountain biking fraternity and members of the audience, the consensus being that the suggested trail alignment made more sense than one close to the river edge, providing trail continuity for people while being the least environmentally intrusive.

Kudos to Shirley, for her persistence and dedication to this issue; it is rare that one gets a win when a civic project has got this far in the process. Possibly ENC owes a debt of gratitude also to the bikers, whose publicity no doubt helped paint the picture of controversy among the public and encouraged Council to hold the public hearing. (This was a non-statutory public hearing, meaning that it was voluntary on Council’s part.)

A further environmental impact assessment of the proposed new North Trail alignment will have to be done, and Shirley and Patsy hope that this time the environmental community, including the ENC, and the public in general, will be invited to have input!

Terwillegar Park and Recreational Trails plan

April 8, 2014  –  River Valley Room     City of Edmonton

The agenda for the public hearing on this plan is now available on the City of Edmonton’s website at http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1203&doctype=AGENDA

The Terwillegar Park plan will begin hearing at 1:30 p.m. (although the hearing itself starts at 9:30 p.m. as advertised), so anyone interested in attending to hear or present at this issue, should turn up at the River Valley Room in City Hall at about 1 p.m.

All documents (pdfs) relating to this issue are listed and are clickable to the right of the agenda column online when the agenda item is highlighted.  There are more documents than most people will have time to read, but it is worth scrolling through the Environmental Impact Assessment and taking a look at the sections on the environment as well as some of the appendices that show the trail alignments and set out the process and rationale for the options chosen. (Ignore methodology and background literature).

The Site Location Study attempts to show that the project is in line with the City’s various policies and plans. It concludes that the plan will contribute significantly to the Ribbon of Green Master Plan and “will result in increased use of the area and create a unique experience for visitors by providing an extended trail system for play, leisure and recreation.”

A presentation will be made arguing that the proposed trail alignment in Oleskiw has been chosen solely to promote such play and recreation but does the most amount of environmental damage, does not take into account future environmental impact of vastly increased human usage, and generally does not give sufficient emphasis to the integrity and functionality of the river valley as habitat and corridor for vegetation and wildlife. 

For more information contact Patsy Cotterill at:  nutmeg@planet.eon.net 

or Shirley Coulson at: shirleys_mail@shaw.ca