Farmers willing to send water to thirsty mall, racetrack

Water could soon be flowing to a billion-dollar mall and racetrack under construction north of Calgary that has struggled to find a source to quench its thirst.

Farmers east of Calgary agreed by just 46 votes Thursday to send a chunk of their Bow River water allowance to the municipality of Rocky View, where the mall is being built, in exchange for $15 million.

The money will be used to build a new irrigation pipeline that will save water that normally evaporates or spills back into the canals.

Only 328 of 708 people in the Western Irrigation Districteligible to vote cast a ballot, with 187 saying yes to the deal.

Jim Webber, the manager of the Western Irrigation District, said he was relieved by the outcome. The next step required by Alberta's water law is to get approval from the province forthe transfer.

"It goes through its own scrutiny and its own public process. But today's vote with the farmers was just the first step. The second step is just as vital."

Lois Habberfield, the deputy reeve of the Municipal District of Rocky View, was also happy with the vote results.

"It impacts the residents of Rocky View because they are going to have some economic development in the MD to help out with our tax diversification. So it's really good news for everybody."

The mall and racetrack project has been on hold since the town of Drumheller refused to treat and pipe water from the Red Deer River and send it to Rocky View.

Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has said the project which features two horse-racing tracks, a casino and a shopping centre won't get more than $8 million in government funding without a water licence.