Title: Wednesday, August 21, 1985 hs August 21, 1985 Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act 97 [Chairman: Mr. Kowalski] [10 a.m.] 40, or the Kananaskis Trail, the Smith Dorrien Trail, which is $609,000, work on the Elbow MR. CHAIRMAN: Good morning, ladies and Falls Trail, a little bit on the Bow Valley Park gentlemen, and welcome to another meeting of access road, and a youth hostel road that was the Standing Committee on the Alberta upgraded. Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act. It is our Maybe it would be useful, Mr. Chairman, to pleasure this morning to welcome the Hon. just indicate what we're doing in the current Marvin Moore, Minister of Transportation. year as well. We're generally following about Members will recall, if they refer to the 1984- the same expenditure pattern, with projected 85 annual report of the Provincial Treasurer, expenditures this year of $8,677,000: for work that under the capital projects division on the Highwood Trail, again, a major investments there have been several projects commitment there of $6,346,000; some other the Minister of Transportation was responsible expenditures in the amount of $1,757,000 on the for, either directly or indirectly, in the past. Elbow Falls Trail; and minor expenditures One was a project entitled Airport Terminal regarding access to other parts of Kananaskis Buildings. An expenditure level of $16,359,000 Country. had been arrived at by March 31, 1984, and in I could probably conclude, Mr. Chairman, by the last fiscal year there were no additional saying that we've done an awful lot of highway expenditures under that item. upgrading in Kananaskis Country. We could The second item the minister has stop now, I guess, and there would be pretty responsibility for, along with a colleague of his, adequate access to all parts of it, but it's is some highway development within the probably important for us to continue with Kananaskis Country recreation development. improvements to certain projects that have not Although it will be our pleasure next week to been completed. So while no decision as to welcome the Hon. Peter Trynchy, Minister of what we might do in 1986 has been made yet, Recreation and Parks, to discuss the Kananaskis obviously, I hope the committee will be Country recreation development, Mr. Moore has supportive of some additional funding in kindly agreed to appear before us today to bring Kananaskis Country for road and highway us up to date on developments within that improvements over the course of the next project in the last fiscal year. couple of years, probably in quite a lesser Mr. Moore, I welcome you. If you have an amount than the $8.5 million we're spending this opening statement to make, would you kindly year or the $8.5 million, roughly, that we spent proceed. If not, we will go to questions from in 1984-85. committee members. I'd be pleased to answer any questions members have with respect to what we're doing MR. M. MOORE: Thanks very much, Mr. there. Thanks. Chairman, members of the committee. We're dealing with the 1984-85 fiscal year, the 1984 MR. HYLAND: Mr. Chairman, I think my first construction year, I guess, as far as Alberta question just got answered in the minister's last Transportation is concerned. We expended comments about what amount of money he $8,378,000 in the year in question on roads into thought would be needed in the future to finish and leading into Kananaskis Country, in addition the roads in Kananaskis. So I guess I'll let that to some work in Kananaskis Country on access one go and go on to the next question, which and construction of day use sites, which was a either Mr. Thompson or I have asked every year Transportation responsibility as well. since we've been on the committee. It's about We had a major program on what is called Highway 22, out of the general budget. Is there the Highwood Trail, or secondary road 541, any thought of having that out of the trust fund, which is in the southern part of Kananaskis to finish paving it and have a paved highway? Country. In round figures we spent $3,793,000 You'd come up 22, and then over on the upgrading there. The next major project was secondary from Longview into Kananaskis, the Sheep River Trail, or Sheep Road, which had which you just spoke about, that I think is $1,806,000 expended on it. There were various almost all paved, so people from the south as other projects involving some work on Highway well as those from the north would have a paved 98 Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act August 21, 1985 access to the park. out on 22 we drove straight south into Coleman on 940. Is that right? I haven't got the map. I MR. M. MOORE: On the first question, with don't know if that road will ever be paved, but regard to Highway 22, we have a major program as you suggested, even some upgrading, maybe a in our regular budget of upgrading Highway 22 little widening and stuff like that. I'd never from Mayerthorpe at its northern extremity been down that road, and there's probably some clear down to Highway 3 in the Crowsnest of the best, if not the best, scenery in Alberta Pass. Specifically, in the area you're talking down that road. I think a lot of city people about we have a grading project south of have a fear of driving on gravel. To us guys Longview this year which is presently under way that are used to that, it doesn't make any and will be completed this year. Last Friday I difference; you slow down and go. But maybe approved the low tender on a major $5 million- something like that, because some of that plus rebuilding program midway between highway — I didn't even realize that Kananaskis Longview and Highway 3. Members who have Country went that far south until I started to driven the road will recall that there's a section drive it and realized how far down it goes. of existing gravelled road that needs to be rebuilt and realigned; it's in some rock. We'll be MR. M. MOORE: Thank you. doing about 20 miles there. I believe that will leave about 15 miles of grade construction MR. R. MOORE: Mr. Chairman, I really have between Longview and Highway 3 that needs to no questions to ask. I just want to make a be reconstructed before paving. comment with regard to the airport terminal Once we get these projects that are now buildings, the only program where the under tender out of the road, we can move with department has heritage trust fund money more paving on Highway 22. It's my hope that involved. It is now completed, and I want to within four to five years, Highway 22 will be express my appreciation for an excellent paved from one end to the other, from program and one well carried out. It is well Mayerthorpe down to Highway 3. [Interjection received across Alberta in many areas. My by the Member for Drayton Valley] We may contacts out there have expressed that this was have a little trouble with parts of the Drayton a good program, and I'd like to make the Valley area where it rains a lot, but it's my hope minister aware of that. we can finish it so it's paved right through. I On the general transportation programs don't think there's any need to utilize any which come out of general revenue, not using Kananaskis Country funds, because it's a little heritage trust fund money, all I can say is that I too far away to really relate to that. compliment his department on his As far as secondary roads going from transportation program across Alberta. It's Highway 22 into Kananaskis Country, they're excellent. We are second to none in Canada. never finished, I guess, until they're all paved. It's well run and well operated. I just want to It's a matter of judgment how many need to be say: carry on the good work. paved as opposed to how many can remain gravel, with some dust treatment and that sort MR. M. MOORE: We expect to be doing a fair of thing. That's why I suggest to the bit of work in Lacombe next year. committee, Mr. Chairman, that I think we need some funding on an ongoing basis to do some MR. CHAIRMAN: I think, Mr. Moore, that that projects there every year so we continue to response may elicit a fair number of other make some progress. It doesn't have to be an petitions from committee members, including extensive number of dollars. I'd be interested in submissions from the chairman. We may be any recommendations members of the here till tomorrow afternoon. committee have as to what we should be doing in 1986 in terms of the actual roads in MR. MUSGREAVE: I have just a quick question Kananaskis Country or leading from Highway 22 of Mr. Moore. Do the bicycle trails come out of into it. the Parks budget, or is that out of the Transportation budget? MR. HYLAND: I was in Kananaskis Country this summer, in the park, and instead of coming MR. M. MOORE: All of the work in Kananaskis August 21, 1985 Heritage Savings Trust Fund Act 99 Country in highway construction really goes driving conditions on Highway 22 from Highway through the Department of Recreation and 3 north to Calgary in the winter of 1988.