By: Kate Jackman-Atkinson

myWestman.ca

On Sept. 10, Riding Mountain National Park held an open house at the Mount Agassiz Site to talk about the East Escarpment Area Strategy and other work that has been ongoing on the east side of the park.

The event offered an opportunity to update the public about remediation work taking place at the Agassiz ski hill site as well as progress made by the East Escarpment advisory board since they began meeting last October.

Marjorie Huculak, Riding Mountain National Park’s partnering and engagement officer, said that the event attracted around 40 area residents keen to know about the future of the park’s east side and to find ways to generate more activity.

One of the summer’s big projects was the rehabilitation of the McKinnon Creek culvert which runs through the Mount Agassiz site. The culvert was damaged by this spring’s flooding in which the creek saw 400 per cent of its usual spring precipitation. During the summer, the culvert was removed, stream restoration work was undertaken and the area was protected by anti-erosion mats.

Part of the area strategy includes looking at the future of the Mount Agassiz ski area. Throughout the summer, the SE Group, who are experts in ski area planning and design, began work on the Mount Agassiz feasibility study. They toured the area and met with stakeholders. Huculak said that the completed feasibility study is to be ready in early winter.

The escarpment advisory board has also been busy over the summer holding public meetings with the help of MAFRI.

These meetings looked at identifying area attractions, from Neepawa to Ochre River, as well as challenges to be overcome in order to bring vibrancy back to the area. This strategy is continuing to be developed.

Huculak said that there continues to be a lot of interest in the park’s east side and in talking about the area she said, “It has a rich history . . . [and] an incredible landscape.”

For those anxiously awaiting a plan for the area’s future, Huculak has some optimism saying, “After many years, we’re within months of some of the results.”

(In photo: Visitors to Riding Mountain National Park’s east-side open house survey the work done at the Mount Agassiz site over the summer. Extensive rehabilitation of the McKinnon Creek culvert was undertaken as the culvert was damaged in this spring’s flooding. Submitted photo.)