A proposed adventure park on Riverside Drive is headed to city administration for review as nearby residents raise concerns about putting a commercial recreation business in a country residential area.
Prince Albert’s Executive Committee referred the Boreal Adventure Park proposal to the Operations Department on Monday. Council also received five letters from residents opposing the plan.
Acting City Clerk Savannah Price told the committee at the start of the meeting that letters of concern about the project had been placed on councillors’ desks.
The proposed park would be located at 2050 Riverside Drive on land currently zoned Low-Density Country Residential. Developers Lori-Anne Bayda and Trevor Holliday are seeking a zoning change to a Contract zone that would allow an outdoor commercial recreation facility.
Plans include an off-road go-kart course, a pond for remote-controlled boats, a nine-hole mini golf course, a slingshot gallery and a concession. The park would mainly operate from May to October, primarily Thursday through Sunday.
The five letters came from Jan and Bob Northey, Kevin and Lorelle Meyer, Denton and Erin Yeo, Carol Yeo, and Karen and Michael Ruszkowski.
Their concerns centred on traffic, pedestrian and cyclist safety, noise and the effect a commercial attraction could have on the rural character of Riverside Drive. Several pointed to the lack of sidewalks and shoulders along the road and questioned how additional traffic would be handled.
Carol Yeo wrote that the issue went beyond individual concerns about traffic or noise.
“Further increase in traffic will compromise our safety and that of our children and grandchildren that utilize the road,” Jan and Bob Northey wrote.
The Northeys, who wrote that they have owned property on Riverside Drive since 1977, also raised concerns about wildlife and groundwater. They said nearby homes rely on groundwater and questioned the possible effects of a commercial operation involving gasoline-powered vehicles.
Other letters argued that commercial recreation would be better suited to property already intended for commercial use.
The developers addressed some of those issues in material submitted to the City. Their proposal says operating hours would be studied during the planning process with the goal of reducing traffic and noise impacts on neighbouring properties. It also says trees and other natural barriers would be used to limit noise.
The developers say the existing residence would remain their home and other existing buildings would be used for park operations. They argue the project could bring visitors to the area while retaining much of the wooded property.
In their submission, the developers described the project as a “safe, family friendly recreation space” along Prince Albert’s riverside.
The proposal is still at an early stage. Bayda and Holliday asked council for support to pursue the zoning amendment and said technical and feasibility studies would follow if the zoning change is considered acceptable.
Adventure-style recreation is already part of the City’s work elsewhere in Prince Albert.
Little Red River Park includes the Rotary Adventure Park and Alfred Jenkins Zip Lines, along with trails, skiing and other outdoor recreation. The City has also continued work on its toboggan hill, including snowmaking, lighting and other improvements.
The difference is that Little Red is municipal parkland developed through City planning and community partnerships. Boreal Adventure Park would be a privately operated commercial attraction on land now zoned country residential.
The developers say the project could add another family recreation and tourism attraction to Prince Albert and complement nearby destinations such as Little Red River Park.
The referral to Operations does not approve the development or the requested zoning change. Administration will review the proposal and report back to council before further decisions are made.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
