If you build it, they will come. I'm not referring to the biblical story of an ark or even the popular 1980s movie about a ball diamond in a cornfield. I'm talking about site features like fishing docks, parking areas, outhouses, maintained trails, and all the rest that Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) provides to help as many people as possible access conservation sites. Whether it's hunting, fishing, berry picking, mushroom foraging, bird watching, etc., we believe that everyone, including those with different levels of mobility, should have opportunities to get out in nature and enjoy outdoor recreation.
It's no secret that spending time in natural surroundings is good for one's mental and physical health. It rejuvenates and restores us and connects us to our natural environment. It also helps foster a sense of responsibility for conservation, giving a stronger voice for protecting those wild spaces we all value so much. While not every site is going to be a fit for everyone, we recognize the importance of providing access to conservation sites and the ability to participate in outdoor pursuits as inclusive as possible. With the right support and considerations for mobility challenges, we'd like to prove the odd adage right: "where there's a will there's a way."
Making fishing fun for everyone
If fishing is your passion, there are some easy-to-get-around fisheries access sites all over the province. These are sites where ACA has developed and maintains infrastructure specifically aimed at removing mobility barriers, so everyone can get out and enjoy some terrific fishing. Nuggent Pond (D3-49) near Red Deer is a great example of a site where ACA used grant funding to build specifically designed infrastructure with mobility-aid equipment, such as wheelchairs and motorized scooters, in mind. You'll find a smooth asphalt path from the parking area down to a dock fitted with a safety stop—and an outhouse equipped with a ramp, a wide door, and handrails—all aimed at being user-friendly for anyone using specialized equipment to get around.
Developed gravel parking areas to stage from, and maintained trails that lead to stable wheelchair-friendly floating docks and casting platforms, all help make a site more accessible and the experience more pleasurable for anglers of all mobility levels. Shell True North Forest Pond (C1-104) north of Grande Prairie, Dollar Lakes (C2-1) near Valleyview, Windsor Lake (E3-1) west of Bashaw, and McVinnie Reservoir (F3-26) north of Lethbridge all fit that bill.
These are just a few examples of fisheries access sites designed with ease of access in mind — and we have plans to develop even more.
We're working hard to secure the funding needed to build a hardened path at the Boulder Lake Conservation Site (E3-174) near Blackfalds. The site will be inclusive for a diverse range of mobility levels and provide better access to the dock and the rest of the day-use amenities. So, stay tuned.
Making hunting access easier
Depending on a person's mobility, equipment, and available support, many conservation sites offer exciting hunting opportunities that are accessible to a wider range of abilities. Examples include Lac Cardinal Point Uplands (C2-13) in the Peace Country; Drake (E3-165), Porter (E3-170), and Raven Ridge (E3-171) near Sundre; Scheerschmidt (E3-169) and Wilfort (E3-180) in the Stettler area; as well as East Hays (F4-12) and Legacy (F4-17) conservation sites near Vauxhall. These all have maintained parking areas to stage from and some form of pathway or old truck trail that can be used, with varying degrees of effort, to make your way through the site to your preferred hunting spot.
For the more ambitious adventurer, sites with limited or no specialized infrastructure can still be worth a look. Parking lots and maintained trails are great at increasing ease of access, but sometimes ACA can provide support in another way. If you're a hunter with limited mobility who's looking to explore some conservation sites and the thing that's stopping you is trying to figure out how to get your mobility aid or support equipment in and out of a site, then please don't hesitate to reach out and ask. We'd be happy to discuss your situation and explore what temporary authorizations can be granted to allow you to access our sites with your equipment.
Not every site will be perfectly suited for everyone, but we're eager to learn how we can improve accessibility where we can for a wider range of mobility levels. So, if you haven't already, start exploring ACA's Alberta Discover Guide to find all the sites that might be a fit for you to get out to hunt, fish, forage, and explore to your heart's content!
Check out the Alberta Discover Guide and find sites just right for you!
