The Government of Alberta will be holding the first of two public information meetings on the controversial Springbank Reservoir on Tuesday night.
The project, intended to help with flood mitigation in the areas west of Calgary, has drawn a lot of controversy because the bulk of the construction is planned on private land.
That’s gotten under the skin of landowners, who want the province to consider a different location, closer to McLean Creek.
They’re worried the project will flood rural land, force them from their homes and impact their livelihood.
Earlier this year, the province said the previous PC government identified the Springbank Off-stream Reservoir as the best option.
“The New Democratic government took a new look at it last year and they came to the same conclusion, it was the best option for the City of Calgary to protect us on that river,” said Brenda Leeds-Binder, Calgary River Communities Action Group, back in March 2016.
The affected area starts at Highway 22 and Highway 8, near the roundabout that leads to Bragg Creek.
The Elbow River would be diverted in high water to the land north of the river and just south of the TransCanada Highway.
The public information meeting will take place at the Wild West Events Centre near Calaway Park at 5:00 p.m.
A second meeting will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the Church of the Nazarene on Richard Way S.W.
The meetings are part of the environmental assessment process.
More information about the project can be found on the official website.
