Improvements at Three Mile Bend - The City of Red Deer

July 2, 2009

(Red Deer, Alberta) – Work will get underway at Three Mile Bend next week when The City moves forward with improvements to trails and amenities at the park.

“Enhancing Three Mile Bend means a better experience for all user groups who take advantage of this unique park in our community. It is about creating friendly, usable spaces that canoe and kayak users, dog walkers, runners and cyclists can all access,” said Jeff Graves, Project Superintendent.

Improvements to Three Mile Bend include additional benches, parking waste bins, bag dispensers and interpretive signage. It also includes the addition of a canoe / kayak boardwalk to support teaching and training programs for the canoe and kayak club.

“All improvements are designed to enhance the usability of the park and reduce potential conflicts with other park users,” said Graves.

Some enhancements are already complete after a solar powered device was installed in the pond at Three Mile Bend last spring. The device, known as the SolarBee, helps eliminate harmful algae blooms, enhance water clarity, reduce nuisance weed growth and improve habitat for fish spawning and growth.

“We want to reduce our environmental footprint wherever possible, and this is just one way we can help do that,” said Graves.

All improvements at Three Mile Bend stem from the Special Gathering Places Study that was approved in 2005.

Three Mile Bend will remain open while improvement work is underway. There will be temporary trail closures and disruptions due to construction and machinery in the area. Citizens are encouraged to keep their dogs on-leash around construction areas in Three Mile Bend. Public are reminded to stay a safe distance from machinery and take extra precaution while in the area.

Work at Three Mile Bend is expected to wrap up before fall 2009.

For more information about Three Mile Bend or other Red Deer parks and trails visit www.reddeer.ca.

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For more information, please contact:

Jeff Graves
Project Superintendent
The City of Red Deer
403-356-8912