15 June 2006
CPR Reducing Grain Attractants
Gap Siding Alberta - Canadian Pacific Railway last
week put the finishing touches on a small rail-side facility designed to keep bears from getting into waste grain routinely
dumped at the Gap siding, located west of Exshaw.
On Tuesday (13 Jun 2006), CPR representative Ed Greenberg said crews have finished building the earth and
cement-block ramp, which allows the railway's vacuum truck to dump grain sucked from the tracks in the
Rocky Mountain national parks directly into a metal bin with a steel mesh cover.
"We wanted to ensure that we are looking at ways of reducing any situations like the one that occurred recently, as well as making
sure our vac truck can remain in the parks area to be in place at all times for vacuuming the tracks," Greenberg said.
The situation Greenberg referred to occurred in mid-May when the railway's contractor was delayed in delivering a metal
refuse bin to the Gap, forcing the vacuum truck crew to dump the contents of the truck's five-yard tank onto the ground
where it sat for a day before a container arrived.
With the ramp in place the vacuum truck can dump its load directly into the bin. The lid requires a hydraulic crank to open it.
"This is another step, another measure by our company to ensure that we are doing everything we can to avoid contact with wildlife
on our track and to ensure the truck is kept in the parks on a full-time basis to keep the tracks as clean as
possible," Greenberg said.
Both Jim Pissot, executive director of the Defenders of Wildlife Canada and Dene Cooper, chair of the Bighorn Corridor Environmental
Committee said they were pleased to have a permanent and secure facility in place after both groups independently requested CPR rectify
the problem.
"We are entirely pleased with the response to our request," Cooper said Monday.
Pissot, who has continually fought to keep grain, which attracts bears, from the tracks said the need for a secure and clean storage
dates back a year.
"They're 12 months late. This was all pointed out last year at the same time with photographs and the whole shooting match. But
I'm very happy with what they've done. I've sent the CEO a thank you letter," he said.
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