Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Officials urge Calgarians to respect rivers and stay safe

A man and his dog drive through the Bow River in a Jeep near the Graves Bridge on Glenmore Trail in Calgary on Monday, June 8, 2015. Photo, courtesy Aryn Toombs / Calgary Herald

Officials urge Calgarians to respect rivers and stay safe

Eva Ferguson, Calgary Herald, June 9, 2015

Provincial and municipal officials are asking river enthusiasts to keep motorized vehicles far away from the water.

After the Calgary Herald took a photo Monday of a man driving his Jeep through the Bow River near the Graves Bridge on Glenmore Trail, government officials were outraged that anyone would think it’s OK to run a vehicle through the river intentionally.

According to Alberta Environment and Parks, the offence can be punishable through a range of fines under the Public Lands Act, anywhere from $250 to $25,000 if someone is intentionally driving through sensitive aquatic habitat, particularly if fish are spawning.

Earlier this month, a judge in Rocky Mountain House handed out fines of $1,500 each to two men who drove their ATVs through the Clearwater River, the highest fines ever handed out for that type of offence.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1GqbsLm

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