Pearl Lorentzen
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Lakeside Leader
Earlier this year, the plan had been to pave Hwy. 686 between Peerless Lake and Trout Lake and start upgrading the section between Red Earth Creek and Peerless this year. However, neither are likely, according to what M.D. of Opportunity council heard last week.
Louis Cardinal is the M.D. of Opportunity councillor for Peerless Lake. At the Aug. 13 M.D. meeting, he brought up Hwy. 686.
At the Rural Municipalities of Alberta District 4 meeting in Peace River on August 8, Cardinal spoke with a representative from Alberta Transportation. He learned that the section between the two communities wasn’t going to be paved this year, in part because they couldn’t find a contractor. He also asked about dust control, but was also told that wouldn’t happen.
“I’m not sure what’s really happening,” he said. “Nothing seems to be moving.”
Chipewyan Lake Councillor Roy Yellowknee attended a Bigstone Cree Nation meeting on Aug. 12 about Hwy. 686. They basically said the same thing, he said. The engineering is done on the section between Red Earth and Peerless and they are in consultation about borrow pits.
Wabasca Councillor Darlene Jackson and Trout Lake Councillor Leo Alook also attended the district meeting.
“I was going to say what Louis said,” said Alook.
Jackson mentioned that she spoke to Alberta Transportation (AT) about the lack of consultation with the M.D. He (the AT rep) thought they had consulted the M.D.
Alberta Transportation had a meeting with the M.D. to tell them their plans, said Jackson, “but they didn’t consult with us.”
Most of the proposed Hwy. 686 extension from Peerless Lake to Fort McMurray goes through the M.D., added Jackson. They consulted with Fort McMurray, which is only two kilometres of road, she added.
Jackson is also not pleased with the proposed route.
The route doesn’t make Chipewyan Lake any safer in case of a wildfire or other emergency, she said. What about the old winter road, that went east from Chip Lake? Once on a snowmobile she went almost to Fort McMurray, she said.
