The operators of a gravel pit near Red Lodge Provincial Park have agreed to keep the racket down on weekends.
Located about two km west of the park and campground, the 106-acre pit will include mining, crushing, screening, sand and gravel washing and asphalt mixing.
The pit, about 12 km west of Bowden on Secondary Hwy 587, will be mined in six phases over its 30-year lifespan.
Operating hours are listed at 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday, but operator Vince Walker Construction Ltd. has already agreed to start at 7 a.m. weekdays unless a big contract requires an earlier start time.
Coun. Dave Hoar said his main concern was that noise might bother campground users.
“I would hate to negatively affect the park. It’s a nice park within our region.”
On Saturdays, the company has agreed to push back the start time to 8 a.m. to reduce the potential impact on the campground.
There will be no operations on Sundays or statutory holidays. Gravel truck drivers will also be reminded to keep speeds down and not use engine brakes near the park.
Commission members were satisfied with these measures.
It was noted there is some distance between the park and the gravel pit, which is behind a hill.
“If we have to have to pick a spot this is maybe as good a spot as we can find,” said Hoar.
“While I do have concerns about asphalt plans on occasion, this is not one of them.”
The commission also approved a small gravel operation on five acres about 26 km east of Red Deer off Secondary Hwy 595 (Delburne Road).
The pit will operate from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday and extract about 145,000 tonnes of gravel in two phases.
Coun. Philip Massier said another gravel source is welcomed in that part of the county and the location is well suited given there are two other gravel pits nearby.
“So it’s nothing new in the area.”