DAVIDSON—The town’s former compost depot could be the home of Davidson’s new trout pond.
At its meeting March 17, town council gave Arm River Wildlife Federation (ARWF) the OK to study the land near the Gymkhana riding arena to see if it is suitable for a fishing pond.
The wildlife federation will now consult with environment officials to see if water that will drain into the potential pond will support fish. The concern is that due to the location’s proximity to Highway 11, salt and other de-icing chemicals could contaminate the water and kill fish stocks.
This seems to be the only obstacle standing in the way of Arm River Wildlife Federation’s objective of building a trout pond in Davidson.
In February, the group approached Davidson town council with the idea of building a trout pond for recreational use. The wildlife federation will dig and organize the creation of the pond if the town had a parcel of municipal reserve land for the purpose.
The pond would be about one acre in size with a minimum depth of 20 feet. ARWF will also stock the pond and set limits.
Town administrator Gary Edom said he contacted SGI and was informed that the town’s current liability insurance policy would cover the trout pond and that additional insurance is unnecessary.
“These guys (ARWF) are pretty excited,” Edom said.
Councillors said feedback they’ve received from the public, for the most part, has been positive to the idea about providing people with the opportunity to spend time outdoors, bonding and experiencing the thrill of catching a fish.
“What I like about it is, I take so many kids fishing who never get to go…It’s such a huge thing for development,” Mayor Clayton Schneider said.
Coun. Mandy Tichit said people expressed concerns to her over safety and the possibility that children could drown.
If the trout pond proceeds, Schneider said council has to try and address these issues by doing its due diligence to minimize risks.
“These are our kids. They are precious,” he said.
“I’ve had people say, ‘Whatever you do, don’t put it across the highway,’” Coun. Gerald Kenny said.