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Heritage River Designation Initiative leads to Award of Planning Excellence
Heritage River Designation Initiative leads to Award of Planning Excellence
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
The Alberta Professional Planners Institute (APPI) recognizes exceptional plans and projects undertaken in whole or in part by its members that significantly contribute to the livability of communities in Alberta, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
This year, Smoky Lake County in collaboration with O2 Planning & Design Inc. and the North Saskatchewan Watershed Alliance, for the North Saskatchewan River Heritage River Designation Document, in the Special Study Category.
Jordan Ruegg, Planning and Development Manger for Smoky Lake County, said receiving the award is a rare and significant honour. “This is not an annual award that is automatically handed out; only when the Awards Committee feels a project is sufficiently deserving, and this is only the second time since 2015. What this means is that the Heritage River Initiative is truly considered exemplary in the field of planning and showcases Smoky Lake County and our partners as being leaders in innovative and effective planning practices. Overall, this validates our years-long efforts, boosts organizational morale and reputation, and could cause ripple effects that open doors to new opportunities and collaborations.”
Ruegg explained that Smoky Lake County took up the project in the fall of 2019 from where others like the Watershed Alliance had left off in the mid-2000’s as a spin-off of the Victoria District Economic Development Strategy.
The Heritage River file fit very neatly into those same values of supporting cultural and heritage tourism and inviting more visitors to the region such as to ‘paddle into the past’ at Metis Crossing.
Furthermore, the Smoky Lake Region has long had an exceptional tradition of regional partnerships as well as a robust municipal heritage management program which builds on the work of local groups like the Regional Heritage Board and the Victoria District Home guard, the latter of which was the primary proponent of achieving National Historic Site status for the Victoria District in 2001. In fact, the Commemorative Integrity Statement for the Victoria District calls the North Saskatchewan River the ‘spiritual center’ of the area.”
On March 22, 2024 the Governments of Canada and Alberta officially designated the remaining 718 km section of the North Saskatchewan River in Alberta as a Canadian Heritage River. Ruegg believes the designation will encourage more storytelling and opportunities for inter-jurisdictional partnerships to support safe and sustainable recreation and tourism up and down the river.
Additionally, “Having achieved the designation itself as well as an award like this further shows that a small county like Smoky Lake can punch above its weight and show real leadership among our much larger and better-resourced neighbors. It shows that partnerships multiply capacity, and that we can achieve more by working together than competitively. It also shows that the County remains committed to reconciliation, sustainable economic development, and continuing the work on many heritage matters,” noted Ruegg.
Smoky Lake Reeve Jered Serben stated that, “This effort aims to build greater awareness and collaboration among various jurisdictions and river-users, fostering sustainable tourism, business and recreation opportunities through the recognition and collaboration of the outstanding cultural values of this iconic river.”
