Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Continues - Carseland Johnson's Island

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

On a recent trip to Johnson's Island, it appeared that the rock weir across the river-left channel was complete. Now, it will be interesting to watch the rebuilding of the dyke in its original location, just downstream of the rock weir.

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Begins - McKinnon Flats

All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

This morning, we were greeted by heavy equipment hard at work on the overflow parking lot and the approach road.

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild - Glenmore Tr

All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights resrved

Eastbound Heritage Drive at Heritage Meadows Road SE opened at 5:00 am this morning.

The Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing boat launch parking lots can't be far behind!

Paving of the entrance to the main parking lot was happening this morning. They also had two bobcats and a roller working on the parking lot itself.

The overflow parking lot still has old gravel and debris to be removed.

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Resumes - Glenmore Trail

All photos, copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights removed 2013

We reported in our Aug 05 newsletter that the repair of Heritage Drive had restarted.

Midday today, we observed that new curbing was in place, and the paving crew was back at it. 

A Calgary Herald article this morning said the following: "A 350 metre-long swath of Heritage Dr. that runs beneath Glenmore Trail is still being rebuilt after inspectors discovered sulphur and lead contamination from dozens of old car batteries in the washed-out road.

The street is expected to finally reopen to traffic next week after a complicated, $1 million cleanup."

With any luck, we may soon have another boat launch up and running.

 

The overflow parking lot has been cleaned up.  Piles of gravel are waiting to be spread around.

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Stalls - Glenmore Trail/Graves Landing

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved 2013

The entrance to the overflow parking lot for the Glenmore Trail boat launch is just to the right of this photo.  The boat ramp area has undergone some basic repair, so as to be useable by the Calgary Fire Department rescue boats.  

Both parking lots experienced significant damage, with the overflow lot rendered unusable.  However, they dumped a load or two of gravel on that lot, and spread it around a bit, to make it passable for the rescue boat trailer. 

However, as the Calgary Herald article below explains, further repairs are on hold. 

Pit filled with junk uncovered as crews fix flood-damaged road (with video)

By Erika Stark, Calgary Herald July 17, 2013

Read story here: http://bit.ly/1aHNY2y

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Begins - Johnson's Island/Carseland (vid)

The earthen dam on the river-left channel of Johnson's Island was breached and destroyed during our 2013 Flood which began June 21, 2013. The rebuilding has begun.

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Begins - Johnson's Island/Carseland

All photos, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All rights reserved Click directly on photos for larger 1024 px images

Bow River Boat Launches - Rebuild Begins - Johnson's Island/Carseland

During our brief photo shoot today, the sun came out from behind the clouds, the four supervisors walked back from the end of the road, and the construction shovel and front end loader went back to work.

We don't know whether this is actually the replacement road that's being built, or whether it's some sort of cofferdam intended to stop the water flow and allow the earthen dam to be rebuilt behind it.

Do any of our readers know?