Ray Blanchard would like to see his land become a wildlife park that would include walking trails that compliment the wetlands and manmade trout ponds on his property. In fact he’s willing to work with the developer, a conservation group or the town in bringing this vision to reality. “I’d like to donate my land for a park,” he said, as long as I could have a place to live there until I’m gone and the land will continue to be used as a conservation area.”
The 72 year old Blanchard opted out of selling his 20 acre parcel that runs south of the lake to the east west running township road 240 on the southern boundary of Chestermere to the local Edgewater Crossing Development group, a parthership between Mike Mikkelsen and Truman Homes.
Blanchard’s property has wetlands that were an original part of Chestermere Lake before the dam was built. The slough on his land is part of the Shepard Slough Drainage system which the area depends on for surface water diversion and filtering. Future development plans originally saw housing butting up along the edge of the wetlands that would be altered for stormwater containment and a road dissecting the pond.
The Edgewater Crossing Area Structure Plan (ASP) was presented to council for its first reading in September of 2012. During this past May a public hearing was held to hear concerns of nearby neighbors affected by the proposed development. Strong concerns were voiced that included density of the area, traffic congestion, as well as the changing of the wetland area.
In the meantime the Town is adapting its own Wetland policy looking towards the province for guidance which will have to be under consideration by future developments in town. The Provincial plan is presently undergoing revision. Alberta Environment and Ducks Unlimited are coming up with its own numeric system to classify existing wetlands which will be used as a base for consideration in future developments. Blanchard’s land has been rated at the higher end of the scale by Ducks Unlimited.
There seems to be a clash between the biologists and engineers over moving wetlands. While Mother Nature has done the sculpting of the earth from the last glacial age developers step in to do window dressing through the minds of engineers while the biologist are at odds saying wait a minute here. The hope is in finding some middle ground.
Ray Blanchard’s parcel is a haven for waterfowl, songbirds, coyotes, skunks, birds of prey and many smaller rodents. He has just released his own nature video of this reserve he calls home.
Blanchard is a self-studied conservationist. During the past 40 years he has developed his land to share with the local bird and wildlife that call his countryside home.”This year at least 8 species of ducks have been nesting this on my property. Ducks use the sloughs for feeding while needing the surrounding vegetation and trees for nesting,” Blanchard said, emphasizing the need to protect the natural area.
Blanchard also is an amateur videographer who has poured his heart and head into studying and documenting west slope cutthroat trout in his hope to repopulate indigenous species that have been lost to cross breeding. Blanchard’s work was televised last year on Shaw Access TV. He is renowned among fisherman for his underwater photography and says a visit to a local fishing store will almost always bring recognition.
The 20 acres of land he calls home not only has wetland but also is a small arboretum for what Blanchard calls his exotics. He is successfully growing red oak, sugar maple and a Burnt Autumn Red Maple that he sees with good promise for our area.
Blanchard’s 2013 video will be available around town for free. He knows that he cannot stop the encroachment of urbanization that will spring up around him but it is his hope that all that has grounded and connected him for the past 40 years here can be incorporated and shared by his future neighbors.
At the time of publication of this week’s paper a second open house for Edgewater Crossing will have been held at Town Hall. The question is if middle ground can be found.
