Contemporary Issues
As a result of the heavy rains and floods experienced by Alberta in June 2005, half of the park's trails were washed away, and the other half damaged. Seven pedestrian bridges over the Fish Creek were destroyed and seven others were rendered unsafe. The park officially reopened in September 2007 following the construction of new bridges and a redesigned pathway system.
The park's location and city growth in the south is also a constant irritant to city planners. Limited points exist to build roadway across the park. Three arteries (Deerfoot Trail/Highway 22X, Macleod Trail and 37th Street SW), plus a C-Train rapid transit line, exist to connect the southern portions of the city with the north. This results in frequent rush hour traffic delays as the traffic bottle necks. A long-proposed southwest extension of Sarcee Trail (roughly following the 37th Street alignment) is expected to alleviate these bottlenecks, as is the 2013 completion of the southeastern leg of the Stoney Trail freeway.
The park's trails and facilities see 3 million visitors a year and are patrolled by Conservation Officers designated under the Ministry of Tourism Parks and Recreation.
Read more about this topic: Fish Creek Provincial Park
Famous quotes containing the words contemporary and/or issues:
“Why is it that many contemporary male thinkers, especially men of color, repudiate the imperialist legacy of Columbus but affirm dimensions of that legacy by their refusal to repudiate patriarchy?”
—bell hooks (b. c. 1955)
“To make life more bearable and pleasant for everybody, choose the issues that are significant enough to fight over, and ignore or use distraction for those you can let slide that day. Picking your battles will eliminate a number of conflicts, and yet will still leave you feeling in control.”
—Lawrence Balter (20th century)