Confusion over authority to ban activity on the Bow
Posted Jul 5, 2012 8:00 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
There seems to be confusion over who has the authority to ban recreational activity on the Bow River.
After a 41-year-old man drowned in Harvie Passage, first-responders said Transport Canada would have to enact a ban.
In a statement, Transport Canada later said the Calgary Police Service has the “delegated authority” to prohibit the movement of vessels whenever it deems there is a hazard.
Government officials say police can shut down a waterway, just as they would a road or highway, but Calgary police say that’s not entirely correct.
While they can shut down the waterway, authorities tell 660News the request for prohibition has to be made by the city or Mayor to Transport Canada, then it will be up to police to enforce it.
And spokesman Kevin Brookwell says they have no immediate plans to ban activity on the Bow.
“It’s just unreasonable to think in a city of 1.1-million, with the length of the Bow River, that (police) would be able to enforce prohibition,” he says.
The problem is that CPS only has one boat and the Calgary Fire Department just three.
“There has to be some sort of personal accountability for the folks that choose to carry on after being advised,” he says.
Brookwell says there needs to be a focus on education and they’ll continue to warn people about the fast moving, high levels of water, particularly through the area formally known as the weir.
Harvie Passage flows through Alderman Gian-Carlo Carra’s ward; he believes banning activity on the Bow would send the wrong message, but he does want to see some steps taken.
“I don’t know what those appropriate steps are but I know police, the fire department, city council and Calgary recreation, we need to have that conversation,” he says. “I’m a huge advocate of personal responsibility; it’s like wearing a helmet.”
Calgary police say they will continue to crack down on the waterway making sure people are following the rules.
Over the long weekend, the Marine Unit issued 119 tickets for people failing to have the proper safety equipment and drinking on the river.
