Historic S.S. Moyie won’t cruise the Glenmore Reservoir this year

Heritage Park's S.S. Moyie beached For the first time in decades, Heritage Park's S.S. Moyie won't be running in the Glenmore Reservoir. Jordan Kanygin explains why.

For the first time in decades, Heritage Park’s paddlewheeler the S.S. Moyie will be kept out of the Glenmore Reservoir so crews can complete some flood mitigation work.

The city says it is upgrading the Glenmore Dam, an aging piece of infrastructure that needs work after 85 years in service.

In order to complete the work, officials say the water level of the reservoir will need to be lowered to a level that will prevent the Moyie from taking Heritage Park guests on cruises around the water.

Staff at the facility are still making the best of a bad situation.

“It is still 53 years old and we have not had a season without it in the water,” says Barb Munro with Heritage Park. “So this will be a great opportunity to fix it all up and have it in ship-shape for next summer.”

Heritage Park isn’t the only club that will be affected by the low water level of the reservoir in 2018.

Tim Griggs with the Glenmore Sailing Club is concerned about the changes to water levels given that he has so many members that like to get out onto the water whenever they can.

“We have so many new, neat programs starting off this year that we’re hoping this doesn’t disrupt it that much.”

Sailing season is only about six weeks away and Griggs hopes that the city will give them more information about the work and its impact soon.

“We have a meeting coming up with the city recreation department. They’re going to inform us a little more about how they want to operate and how they’ll help us out and what we’re going to have to put up with.”

The city says that the improvements to the Glenmore Dam will extend the life of the structure, better manage Calgary’s drinking water supply and add the ability for the city to better control high and low river flows.

The S.S. Moyie is expected to return to the water in summer 2019.

(With files from Jordan Kanygin)