VISITOR: Pilings pose serious danger

I visited your city this past summer, and enjoyed all of the lovely parks, trails and city shopping with my two children. My sister and her family toured us on the lake and adjoining river with their boat and tube. We had a great afternoon, until the joy of our trip quickly turned to concern for our safety as well as a constant thought of trying to measure a decision the city made that was explained to us. We were boating on the lake with our four kids (cumulatively) age range 6-12, when I was suddenly scared out of my mind (as I was in the tube) when I saw pilings poking out of the lake (some only an inch or two), impossible for the boater to see. As we were flagging him down to stop, we nearly missed a couple. One reading this letter may assume we were going too fast in a slow speed specified area, but we were hundreds of yards away from the slow zone, as well as shore (a "safe" area to boat).

I simply do not understand why the Historical Society, would prioritize the historical value of these dilapidated pilings over the safety of boaters on the lake. If tourism brings the city tax dollars, those visiting your lake would quickly be discouraged to come if a tragedy were to strike your lake, i.e. a boat hitting a piling, or someone hitting their head in a boating accident - my immediate fear when I saw them inches away from me... with a TINY 2-by-2 orange flag indicating their location (a small 2-by-2 flag, when the height of the sun and reflections easily blend this "deterrent"). I realize tourism is not the city's main source of revenue, that being the residents - whose safety and frequency on the lake outweigh the tourists - their safety should be priority as well. Such a safety risk can be EASILY remedied by simply removing the unsafe pilings, those that pose the greatest risk. There are PLENTY of pilings to maintain the historical significance... I strongly urge the city to remove the pilings that pose a serious and immediate threat to the boaters on the lake.

Here are some of my suggestions: Any piling that is exposed in areas where speed signs are not posted, and are NOT visible at 4 feet or higher should be removed, and/or any piling that is not exposed and is completely submerged under water, 10 feet or less to the surface of the water should be removed. I am a believer in historical value of the logging industry, the lake's history as well as the town/city's history - but do not think making a human's life potentially "history" is worth the price. Keep the pilings that are safe for society, remove those that are not. My thanks for your consideration in mentioning and discussing this concern.

CATHERINE GRAHAM

Coleman, Alberta