Seven boat docks, launches approved for North Saskatchewan River

News that Edmonton's river valley will soon have seven new and expanded boat docks and launches has metwith approval from some residents.

Six of the locations:Capilano, Dawson, Emily Murphy, Hawrelak Park, Buena Vista/Laurier, and Whitemud Park, will bebuilt as early as next spring.

The seventh location at Rossdale will proceed later as part of the Touch the Water Promenadeplanned for thearea.

Six of the docksand launches will accommodatecanoes, kayaks and stand-uppaddleboards, while theCapilanolaunch will beused for power boats. It will beexpanded to accommodate two vehicles at a time.

Karen Lee is looking forward to the changes.

"I think it's a good idea," she said. "My husband kayaks on the river and where he does go in ... it's kind of awkward to get in and out. And just as far as people who are watching the boats go in, there's no place to really sit and watch."

An environmental assessment lookingat the impact of the dockson water quality, fish and aquatics, wildlife, soil and vegetation,arrived at a number of solutionsto potential problems.

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Coun.Scott McKeen callsthe project "tremendous."

"Edmonton has a long relationship with its river valley, but not so much with its river," he said.

The $2-millionproject is funded by the province, the federal government and the River Valley Alliance, along with the city.

The city's contribution works out to about two percent of the total cost, according to Rob Marchak, director of strategicprojects with the City of Edmonton.