For years, the sparkling blue water of Chestermere Lake has attracted many to the community. Yet with increased residents and visitors, the risk of incidents and damage to the lake has grown.
To protect this central feature of our community, City Council has directed Administration to begin the development of a Lake Management Plan that would investigate how to best manage and protect this body of water. Components that will be explored over the next year include safety, environmental sustainability and accessibility.
“Chestermere Lake is the central hub of our community and we are determined to protect it,” says Mayor Marshall Chalmers. “We intend to do a full look into how it is currently being used and evaluate what we can do to ensure it continues to offer a safe space both now and into the future.”
The first phase of the study (December to February) will focus on safety.
“Safety is of the utmost concern,” says Kathy Russell, Parks and Recreation Manager for the City. “We are keen to do comprehensive research to fully understand how it can be a safe space for all.”
Part of the research includes holding conversations with residents about how they currently use the lake, concerns they have about safety and ideas they have for improvements.
All residents are invited to participate in one of the following opportunities:
Dec. 10th – Open House at Camp Chestermere, 7-8:30 pm
Dec. 11th – ONLINE Live Facilitation, 7-8:30 pm (Register at chestermereconversations.ca)
Dec. 11–14 – ONLINE (No live facilitation)
Dec. 12th – Chestermere Recreation Centre 7-8:30 pm
Once the public consultation has been completed, the City will consult with experts, analyze the experience of other North American municipalities that manage similar urban lakes and begin to explore potential solutions.
A report with proposals for safety pilot programs for the summer of 2019 is expected at the end of February.
For more information and to get involved, visit www.chestermereconversations.ca.
