Ramsay residents concerned about horse manure flowing from Stampede barns into the Elbow River sent dozens of photos from July 12 to Alberta Environment

Photos of horse manure flowing into the Elbow River (see photos below) and a suspect Calgary Stampede email are fresh ammunition for Ramsay residents fighting a redevelopment plan of the river’s floodplain.

The questionable email, dated May 31 — written one week before city council amended a bylaw to allow the Stampede to house horses near the river’s edge — says Stampede officials were searching for a group to claim that the horses wouldn’t substantially impact the river.

“I have recently been asked by the Park Operations Manager, Gerry McHugh, to find a reputable source to state that there would be "no significant impact" on the Elbow River if 24 to 29 horses were to be stalled approximately 15 metres from the bank,” Lisa Lucknow, an environmental co-ordinator assistant with the Stampede wrote to Nature Calgary, a local non-profit preservation group.

“Unfortunately tight time constraints are not allowing the Calgary Stampede to allow the time needed for a research team to monitor and analyze the river bank prior to submitting a letter of "insignificant impacts," the email says.

Nature Calgary says the Stampede’s “unique” request was beyond its scope and “dropped like a hot potato” because of “ethical issues.”

“It didn’t take us long to conclude we weren’t going to put our name to anything saying that you didn’t need to do an environmental study,” says Andrew Hart, the society’s secretary.

But the Stampede’s operations manager says the email’s intent is being misconstrued. The Stampede, says Gerry McHugh, was looking for existing reports examining the impact of horses would have on waterways.

“If you read into her question she just misspoke or misquoted what she was trying to do because we’re just trying to find somebody that works with horses and did reports on horses already,” says McHugh. “Our interest is in the welfare of the river, the riverbank and all our facilities of the Stampede Park.”

Ramsay residents opposing the project aren’t buying that argument. They believe Stampede officials were seeking a “favourable” environmental review without evidence to meet the city’s land-use rules.

“You don’t ask someone to do a scientific report and tell them the outcome you want,” says Art Matsui, vice-president external with the Ramsay community association.

The association is appealing the permit for the river park project at a subdivision and development appeal board meeting August 12. However, Matsui was informed earlier this week the city bureaucrats want to cancel the development permit — a move that would ultimately counter city council’s decision.

"Obviously they know that they've made some major errors here," says Matsui.

During a council meeting June 7, several Stampede officials and alderman downplayed possible impacts the horses and corrals would have on the river.

Ald. Linda Fox-Mellway, also a Stampede board member, was among the project’s proponents who provided a letter from Alberta Environment as evidence the province isn’t concerned about horses housed near the river.

But the senior government official who wrote the letter took issue with how it was portrayed. “The Department’s assessment did not consider the specific use or any other issues around land use (including horse manure management),” says Rob Simieritsch .

Ramsay-area Ald. Joe Ceci, says the proponents misrepresented the Alberta Environment letter because they claimed the province was onboard with the project. “Which is unfortunate because those things carry some weight in the discussions we undertake,” he says.

Ceci has discussed Ramsay residents’ concerns with Stampede officials, who in turn, have told the alderman they strive to improve the environmental stewardship of the Stampede grounds.

“So they don’t see the gravity of the situation in the same way it has been presented to them,” says Ceci. “I think there can be more improvement in terms of how the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede acts not only with the natural environment but with their neighbours.”

Fast Forward Weekly has obtained dozens of photographs of manure from Stampede horses on paved pathways, just metres away from the Elbow River during a violent hailstorm on July 12. The images show the manure washed away by rain and hail towards the riverbank. Residents sent the pictures to Alberta Environment, which is currently investigating the incident.

"Alberta Environment attended the site after we received a complaint and determined that likely some dirt and most likely some manure did get into the river," says Cara Tobin, an Alberta Environment spokesperson.

"But we weren't able to collect any evidence that that had happened because it was after the event," says Tobin.

Alberta Environment ordered the Stampede to install a berm to prevent any future waste from running into the river. However, Tobin confirmed the Stampede built a berm at that same river location, as ordered by the province after a similar incident in 2005, which was later removed by “trail maintenance staff,” says Tobin, adding the province didn’t levy any fines or penalties for its removal. Since the July 12 incident, the Stampede has built another berm.

"Now it's a permanent berm; it won't be removed again," she says, adding the province has a "suite of enforcement tools" at its disposal, including fines.

Email: thowell@ffwd.greatwest.ca