A popular fishing spot near Slave Lake is getting a new feature designed to make it easier for people of all abilities to enjoy the outdoors.

The Municipal District of Lesser Slave River has completed construction of an accessible fishing dock at the provincial day-use area near the municipal boat launch on the Lesser Slave River.

The dock is located at the Lesser Slave River weir, an area that has long attracted local anglers.

“This is an investment in outdoor recreation that will help make the area more welcoming and accessible for residents and visitors from across the region and beyond for years to come,” the MD said in a news release.

The new dock is the latest in a series of improvements to the area carried out by the MD in partnership with Alberta Forestry and Parks over the past three years.

Those improvements have included new picnic tables and garbage and recycling containers, upgrades to road access and repairs to the existing outhouse facilities.

The MD continued the work in 2025–26 with the addition of the accessible fishing dock.

The weir itself is not new. The existing structure was built in 1983 as part of a broader provincial effort to manage water levels on Lesser Slave Lake and reduce flooding.

The project also included river channel work downstream of the lake. According to the MD, the weir has helped significantly reduce overland flooding.

The structure has also become a notable fishing location.

The MD describes the area immediately below the weir as a popular spot for local anglers, while a 2007 fishing forum post described the stretch below the weir as a popular place to fish for pike and other species.

The provincial government has also recognized the importance of the Lesser Slave River to the region’s fishery. Alberta has described the river system as supporting spring spawning migrations, with fish congregating in the river and becoming particularly vulnerable while moving upstream toward Lesser Slave Lake.

Fishing regulations in the area have changed over time. In 2022, Alberta changed the season for the portion of the Lesser Slave River between the lake and the weir, making it consistent with other flowing waters and opening it to fishing from June 1 to Oct. 31.

The latest investment in the area follows a push by the MD to develop the recreation site.

In April 2025, MD council approved spending up to $106,000 on development of the weir area, with the money coming from the Harbour/Boat Launch capital reserve. Councillor Brad Pearson welcomed the move at the time, saying, “It’s about time!”

The accessible dock is now the centrepiece of those improvements, providing a dedicated fishing platform intended to accommodate people with different mobility needs.

The MD credited Norbert Raffael and Alberta Forestry and Parks, Brian Vance, Karl Gongos and the Motor Dealers Association of Alberta for their contributions and support toward improving the recreational area.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new dock is scheduled for Aug. 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the Lesser Slave River Weir. The public is invited to attend.

For the MD, the project represents more than an improvement to a fishing spot.
It is part of an effort to make one of the region’s existing outdoor recreation areas more usable for residents and visitors.

With the river, lake and surrounding recreational areas already drawing anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts, the new dock gives more people an opportunity to enjoy a location that has been part of the region’s recreational landscape for decades.

William Hetherington
Lakeside Leader