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Work begins on new trail

Work has begun later than expected on an interpretive trail on the west-facing ridge of the Sheep River in Turner Valley.
Ron McLaren, a former employee of the Turner Valley Gas Plant, stands at one of the Jack Bowman Interpretive Trail sites overlooking the gas plant. Construction began at the
Ron McLaren, a former employee of the Turner Valley Gas Plant, stands at one of the Jack Bowman Interpretive Trail sites overlooking the gas plant. Construction began at the site last week and will continue through September.

Work has begun later than expected on an interpretive trail on the west-facing ridge of the Sheep River in Turner Valley.

Both a delay in funding and change in staff at the Town of Turner Valley put a hitch in the Turner Valley Oilfields Society’s plan to open the Jack Bowman Interpretative Trail to the public this summer.

The project has three sites and each has two benches, a picnic table, fencing and interpretive signage with historical facts about the area’s oil and gas industry, located along the paved pathway overlooking the river valley and Turner Valley Gas Plant.

Project leader Rod Mumby said the Turner Valley Oilfields Society learned it was approved to receive $25,000 in funding from the Crescent Point Community Foundation in July, but the cheque didn’t arrive until two weeks ago.

It was the last donation needed to pay for the approximately $40,000 project, he said.

“We wanted to make sure we were fully funded before we got going,” he said. “We were nervous to start until we had that money in the bank.”

The other hurdle was the Town’s planner and lead for the project, Matthew Atkinson, left.

“Matthew had to leave before they could declare a new project lead for the town,” he said. “He was the one directing everything.”

The Town foreman took over the project and Mumby is glad to see work begin.

“This is just a wonderful enhancement to the Turner Valley pathway system,” he said. “There will be wonderful views of the gas plant, the mountains, the river valley. It’s going to be fantastic.”

The interpretive trail, a collaboration between the Town of Turner Valley and Turner Valley Oilfield Society, honours former gas plant superintendent Jack Bowman and commemorates the discovery of oil in 1914 that helped start the development of the oil and gas industry in Alberta.

The Turner Valley Gas Plant was the first petroleum processing facility west of Ontario. It operated on the banks of the Sheep River before closing in 1985 and now serves as a designated federal and provincial historic site.

Jack Bowman served as the superintendent of the plant from the 1960s to 1980s and played an important role in the operations of the Turner Valley Golf Club, which the interpretive trail will border.

“The Turner Valley Oilfield Society has a strong relationship with Alberta Culture,” Mumby said. “This is us trying to help them enhance those tours. They can walk up to the interpretive trail from the plant.”

Crews began clearing the three viewing areas last week, and Mumby expects the fencing, picnic tables and benches to be in place before the end of the month.

“I could certainly see clearing and fencing for early September, later in September some benches and picnic tables and then hopefully early October or late September some signs,” he said. “It all depends on weather, timing and availability of the town crews.”

Three service clubs and four individuals gave donations that paid for most of the commemorative benches and picnic tables, the oilfield society paid for nine of the historic signs and Crescent Point Community Foundation covered the remaining costs of the interpretive signs, benches, fencing and site clearing, Mumby said.

For more information about the Turner Valley Oilfield Society or to see a list of the donors for the Jack Bowman Interpretive Trail go to turnervalleyoilfieldsociety.ca

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