On November 16th 2021 the Chestermere Historical Foundation program at their regular meeting was “The Shepard Slough System and Klein Park.”   Eileen McElroy presented the first half about the slough system and Jen Peddlesden followed with the story of how Klein Park was built to  ameliorate pollution ostensibly coming, for the most part, from drainage of Calgary storm water into the Main Canal of the Western Irrigation District system as it passed through Calgary.  

You can see the narrated PowerPoint program HERE. 

As part of the presentation an attendee Tom Sadler, formerly with Ducks Unlimited, mentioned the number of bird species which make Chestermere Lake their part time or full time home.  In 2004 Tom wrote an article for Chestermere a Home for All Seasons, on Chestermere Birds.  You can read his article here CAHFAS Birds p 190 Tom Sadler and CAHFAS Birds p 191 Tom Sadler

See below for four  photos of local birds the first three  taken by Peter Tindall and the fourth Bill Peddlesden   

Thank you to Heather Davies, former Councillor for both the Town and City of Chestermere for bringing the following documents forward.  The transcript of this Senate Committee meeting 01 November 2001 plainly shows that there was a problem with water quality in the Main Canal.  The Senate Transcript can be read HERE and the Minutes HERE.