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Sundre promotion continues following oil spill

Tuesday, Aug 07, 2012 03:00 am | Dan Singleton
Dan Singleton
Dan Singleton
Sherry Tytkanych, right, speaks with a reporter.
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The Sundre and District Chamber of Commerce plans to continue working with community stakeholders to promote area businesses following the June 7 Plains Midstream oil spill, says president Sherry Tytkanych.

“We are going to keep working closely with (Wild Rose MP) Blake Richards and (Sundre MLA) Joe Anglin and just keep moving forward to get the word out that it’s business as usual in Sundre,” said Tytkanych.

“And the word is that Sundre is a great place to come and visit and we have a lot to offer out here.”

Hundreds of thousands of litres of sour crude oil were spilled into the Red Deer River just downstream of Sundre. The cleanup operation being conducted by Plains Midstream is ongoing, and a cause has not yet been released.

A number of Sundre businesses, including rafting companies, have seen a marked decline in business following the leak, with potential customers expressing a reluctance to come here for fear the river isn’t clean.

The chamber and Wild Rose MP Blake Richards co-sponsored a rally in town on July 30, with about 100 people in attendance. Tytkanych says she is very pleased with the rally on several levels.

“I was very pleased with the event and all the different people from town who came to show they care,” said Tytkanych.

During the rally, MP Richards said, in part: “Without our tourism operators, we are just a place. With them, we’re a true destination.”

Plains Midstream was invited to send a representative to the rally, but in the event no one did.

A call to the company seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Chamber officials will be meeting with Plains Midstream officials in the coming days to work out plans to promote Sundre.

“It would be nice if we could do something with them,” she said. “We hope to work with the company to continue to get the word out.”

Meanwhile, a number of investigations into the June 7 oil spill are ongoing, including by Alberta Environment and Alberta Energy Utilities Board.

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