Colinton homeowner Geoff Loken thinks Colinton will inherit Athabasca’s industrial truck traffic problem if one of the proposed eastern bypass routes around Athabasca is built.
Loken is not contesting the bypass around Athabasca, but CastleGlenn Consultants Inc.’s choice of exploring a route through the Tawatinaw Valley.
A total of six bypass routes were considered at a bypass open house last Tuesday; however, CastleGlenn has narrowed its preferences down to three options, two of which would affect Colinton.
Loken grew up in Athabasca and understands there is a problem with industrial traffic traveling Main (50th) Street, but he doesn’t believe building a bypass through Colinton is the answer.
“What they’re proposing is really just throwing Colinton under the bus without any guarantee that it will solve anything at all,” he said.
If one of the eastern routes is chosen, Loken’s house will be bought by the province and demolished to build the highway.
“The government might expropriate my house and pay me for it, but my neighbours are going to have to live beside a freeway,” he said. “Moving that much traffic past Colinton at highway speed is going to fundamentally change the hamlet.”
Loken describes Colinton as a quiet family town located in a quiet valley.
“The proposed highway would cut the valley and the community in half, give us more traffic volume and more noise, while ensuring the traffic doesn’t stop and can slip right past what businesses we do have left in town,” he said. “What they’re proposing is going to be ineffectual in regards to Athabasca’s problem and dump huge problems on Colinton.”
Loken hopes others in the area share his view and is looking for people to call their county councillor to voice their concerns.
“I think the heart of what I am arguing is that it is really bad for Colinton,” he said. “The specifics of the plan have been kept really quiet. Maybe they weren’t nailed down, but I think people need to know what is happening.
“I think they need to know they have a voice in this and they can tell the county what they think before it gets to the provincial level.”
According to Loken, he is not the only one in Colinton who sees a problem with the bypass coming so close to their town.
“Everyone I have talked to is shocked and upset and feels like this has been imposed on them,” he explained. “I have supported the idea of a bypass in principle, and I understand Athabasca has a problem and wants to solve it, but throwing Colinton under the bus probably isn’t it.”
He also stated the approximately $40 million price tag is a lot to spend on a bypass.
“Someone at the meeting on Tuesday suggested that for $40 million, the government could start investing in schools again,” he said.
However, Loken is skeptical about the timeline of the bypass.
“Given the cuts we are facing, even talking about it seems irresponsible,” he said. “Given that the province is now spending $1 billion in Calgary, it is very possible that it will be approved and sit on their desk because they have no money for 10 to 15 years.”
If it is revisited later, Loken still doesn’t think Colinton will welcome it with open arms.
“Colinton isn’t going to need a bypass through it any more in 15 years than it does now,” he said.
Athabasca County councillor for Colinton Denis Willcott said there is no timeline on the project.
“We don’t know when that is going to happen,” he said. “This is not going to happen tomorrow. That is why we are having all the open houses.”
An open house will be held in Colinton July 17 at 7 p.m. at the community centre, with a follow-up open house in August.
