Future of gas plant still undecided

Okotoks Western Wheel
July 2, 2008 Vol 33 No. 43

By Tamara Neely
Staff Reporter

A new committee has formed to assess a plan to continue on the path of preparing the Turner Valley gas plant as a historic site, however, the province has not yet formally accepted a recommendation to reopen the site as a tourist attraction.
The minister of Culture and Community Spirit, Lindsay Blackett, is in the process of reviewing a feasibility report prepared by the Turner Valley Gas Plant Resolution Advisory Panel, but officials from his ministry are on the new committee which met on May 28 to discuss the future of the site.
The new committee has not yet passed their terms of reference, nor has a name been formally accepted, although Turner Valley Coun. Barry Williamson, who has been invited to participate in the committee, refers to it as the working committee.
Williamson said the working committee is made up of government officials, the majority from the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit, and Jim McCreary, chair of the Turner Valley Oilfield Society.
The society is lobbying for the gas plant to be re-opened to the public as a tourist site.
“It’s going to be (for tourism), that’s the indication I got,” said McCreary. “That’s what the committee is meeting for now – to decide what order they’re going to get it developed so they can open it up for tours.”
Williamson agreed that there are signs that point to the government moving in the direction of opening the gas plant to tourism.
“My last meeting with the working committee was that the expectation was to try and get this open sooner than later, but all that is subject to the leadership team — the provincial government — to say ‘Yes, we agree, and here’s some money,’ or, ‘No, you haven’t finished the structural stability study,’” said Williamson.
The Province has committed $2 million to the site and Williamson said he believes that money being allotted for restoration of the site is a positive sign that the plan is to open the gas plant for tours.
“For the minister (Lindsay Blackett, minister of Culture and Community Spirit) to make the recommendation that $2 million be spent on the next step of development for the plant is clearly an indication that they want to proceed with making the plant attractive as a historic tourist site,” said Williamson.
The ministry’s public affairs officer, Lisa Shankaruk, said that Blackett is still reviewing the 50-page development report and no estimate has been made as to when he will make a formal decision on the report’s recommendations.
“The plan at this point is for the minister to take a look at the recommendations and once he formally accepts them then we can start developing a plan to develop an interpretive centre that visitors can come and see,” said Shankaruk.
Shankaruk explained that the $2 million will be used to clean and repair buildings, for example restoring the office and a lab building.
“At this point it’s not about the public, it’s about making sure the historical site is preserved and protected,” said Shankaruk.
The projects are currently being sent to tender and are scheduled to be complete in the fall.