While it has been out of the news for a while, the Badlands Motorsports Resort, a track and race facility planned for the Rosebud area, has revved up its online presence.
In late January, the proponent of the development began advertising that the resort is becoming a reality, and published new drawings of the planned track. It now proposes a 4.8-kilometre North Track road course. There is also a large paddock area, a 12-acre skid pad, and a 1.6-kilometre Kart Track planned. There is also a planned Valley Track; a 3-kilometre road course that winds through the lower portion of the property.
While it appears the developers have been quiet, Director and CFO of Badlands Motorsports Resort, James Zelazo, says they have been busy working on the approvals for the project.
“We’ve always been on track. Of course, there is a lot of processes involved. The work behind the scenes is phenomenal with the designing and approvals,” said Zelazo.
He says at this point all of the major municipal approvals have been done for a while.
“One of the key and final permits you need in construction is the environmental permits,” said Zelazo. “Part of the reason our project is taking so long, is there are so many considerations with the environment we have to comply with.”
He said one of the most time-consuming elements of the project is the design and approval for an upgrade paved access road.
“It is a municipal road and we have to pay for the upgrade to a paved status, and it is in a very difficult area going through the coulees,” he said. “It is the county road and they are in control so we have to do all the detailed design with respect to that to make sure it can be done.”
He says they have been focused on working towards their environmental approvals. He believes there will be a notice out shortly advertising the project. This allows those directly affected to file a Statement of Concern with Alberta Environment and Parks.
One group sure to make their voices heard during this process is Save the Rosebud. The group has been opposing the proposed development on the grounds of protecting the environment and livability of the area.
Wendy Clark is part of the group and has been involved since at least 2013.
“The proposed racetrack and resort development would destroy the rich biodiversity of the Rosebud River Valley by forever changing the ecosystem, introducing excessive noise and traffic into a habitat so many species depend on for survival. River valleys form a connected system. You cannot destroy a portion without affecting the whole system,” said Clark.
She says the group has been preparing their concerns.
“Two years ago, we had legal help preparing a draft Statement of Concern and we have over 100 people signed up for that statement, many are bordering on the Rosebud River,” said Clark. “The problem is we actually can’t complete that Statement of Concern until we actually see all the documents that are in the applications, and those are some pretty huge documents.”
She says over 400 letters have gone to the province to voice their concerns.
The group has received correspondence from the Minister of Environment, stating that when the department receives the application, it will be thoroughly vetted and will include protection of wetlands and species at risk.
“I don’t know where that leaves us, who knows until the approval process is actually moving along,” said Clark.
"We are pretty well to the point where we have done all we can do. We have to wait until the Alberta Government has a completed application.”
