At a meeting on Oct. 25, members of the public were asked to picture industrial development on both sides of Hwy. 88 south of the Lesser Slave River bridge.
They were also asked to imagine substantial residential neighbourhoods north and south of the river, adjacent to the lake, with water and sewer lines extending north under the river. Water lines that could go all the way to Marten River.
Further, the land use concept for Slave Lake’s ‘waterfront area’ – as presented by Lovatt Planning Consultants – shows a special ‘heritage theme’ zone for recreational development in Old Town south of the river, plus a fair amount of space for general recreational development on both sides of the river. It even proposes a large marina on Crown land south of the river and east of The Point.
But it’s hardly written in stone. The zoning map Jim Lovatt presented at the meeting is the result of several months work by his firm, based on direction from a local steering committee and the public from a meeting in June. Lovatt stressed its preliminary nature, noting that meetings such as the one in question were necessary to find out what sort of vision local people have for the area.
Judging by the response from the 35-odd attendees, many are generally in favour of development. But not all.
Regarding the land use concept as presented, Aaron Lehman said: “We’re looking at details before we’ve got a vision. Many people have a vision of it not looking like Pigeon Lake or Sylvan Lake. If we wanted that we’d move there.”
Others, such as Ken Carpenter, proposed minor changes to the map. Carpenter – who sits on the waterfront plan’s steering committee – suggested that a block of land east of Hwy. 88 designated for industrial development be cut roughly in half, thus keeping industry away from the river.
Susan Moore questioned the wisdom of developing anything in what is essentially a flood plain.
“Nature will have its way,” she said.
Lovatt agreed, but said the risks are manageable with the development standards he has in mind.
They include a requirement that building take place only on land that is nearly a metre higher than the high water mark in the one-in-100-year flood scenario. Much of the land in question – indeed a majority of it – is not that high, which led Carpenter to question the point of making such big plans for undevelopable lands.
“Good point,” Lovatt said. “We have some ideas.”
They include using fill from runoff collection ponds to raise the level of other areas.
Devonshire Beach resident Jerry Wallsten proposed lower-density housing for a residential neighbourhood earmarked for north of the river and west of Hwy. 88.
“Higher density residential would detract from tourism appeal,” he said.
Lovatt thanked participants for their comments and promised to take them back with him to the drawing board.
The Waterfront Joint Intermunicipal Area Structure Plan, as it’s formally known, is about two thirds of the way through its course. On Oct. 27 another public meeting was held to discuss details of some of the development concepts. Still another public session is coming up (probably early next year) following draft revisions of the plan. M.D. and Town councils should be able to vote on the area structure plan by the middle of next year.
M.D. #124 Planning & Development Officer Perry Neufeld said in a subsequent interview with The Leader that the plan, once approved, does not mean landowners ‘must’ develop their properties. But if those properties are developed, the plan provides a guide. It’s a better way, he said, of dealing with future growth than in a piecemeal fashion without a guiding concept.
The members of the steering committee for the project are M.D. Reeve Denny Garratt and councillor Brian Rosche, Town councillor Laura Ross, Ken Carpenter, Bill Lukan, Julian Nash, Denny Garratt, Ingo von Wackerbarth, Marilyn Cavanagh, Gerry Allarie, Perry Neufeld and Laurie Skrynyk.

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