Seems to me that there was a trout pond out on Highway 16 a few years back...haven't heard much about it for awhile so presume it closed...so what make this idea so viable......?

This would be perfect for Rainbow Park. Rainbow already has the hole in the ground for it... it already has a nice landscaped area around the hole in the ground... it has almost all of PG's old folks units within walking distance and numerous schools nearby rounding out its biggest potential user base.

Great idea Eagleone, maybe the local schools or old folks home could help by adopting it at rainbow park. They have had them around in the past. I think it didn't work because either location or it didn't get the support it needed.

"Imagine a trout pond right in the heart of Prince George."


Imagine hundreds of troutfilled lakes within an hours drive of PG.

Rainbow Trout Park. That has a certain ring to it.

Just think of the gas we could save by fishing right here.

There is/was a trout farm on the northern end of Cranbrook Hill Rd. some years ago. I believe they used to ship trout to restaurants in the lower mainland.

The beauty of PG is the over abundance of lakes within a small drive...hand out free forestry maps instead and put a little challenge into it.

The pussification of our society...nobody wants to work for anything

The only problem is that the whole downtown bowl pretty much sit on a gravel pit. Thus you will need to put in a liner to hold the water. Thus creating a bigger implication in the fish habitat environment. The cost of the liner and the water purification will become a substantial capital expenditure as well as the maintenence of the project.

Ideal location would be the head waters of McMillan Creek. The little pond being squeezed out by commercial development. With the help with the Ministry of Environment it probably can be cleaned out and increase the water volume and build a path way and fishing spots. barbless hooks and rods for rent.

Hm, how many ways can the local vandals trash a trout pond?

I like that they are not asking for money (yet!). I wouldn't vote for this if and when they do ask for money but I think it is a great idea.

The city should donate the land and tax it accordingly. The society should be 100% responsible for upkeep and associated costs but in the event that the project fails the land should revert back to city ownership.

In the development of the project, it should be built in such a manner that, if it does fail, the water works aspect of the project can be easily converted and utilized for some other form of water project that would lend itself to public use.

I like Gus's approach - Rainbow Trout Park has a nice ring to it!

They forgot to include electrical for the recirculation pump/fountain. This would be needed to provide oxygen for the fishies.
Vandalism would be a recurrent problem.
Regardless of the opportunities that abound to go and fish a natural lake, there are a lot of people who do not have the means or the know how to get out to or onto a lake, so an urban fishing experience would be well utilized imho. Why not make the 'lake' deep enough for the fish to survive winters, and allow ice fishing-skating; sell hot dogs and hot chocolate, for location Rainbow Park would be ideal. Install a chain link fence well back from the water recreation area, and a security system to keep the vandals on their toes.
An excellent idea.
metalman.

I find the whole idea of an urban fish pond enchanting.I hope it finds the support that it needs. Rainbow Park as mentioned before would make a great site.
Don't forget your fishing licenses!

Wow, so much positive support. Good to see. Rainbow Park is ideal. Sledding, and skating in the winter, cant beat it. Frisbe golf and fishing in the summer. Wouldnt be too hard to line it. Get some GCL....little excavation, throw in a fountain...done and done...

Wavoes, you obviously missed the entire presentation or you wouldn't have made your comment. This might very well benefit less fortunate people who don't have the means to travel to a lake for a variety of reasons.

Rainbow Trout Park - great idea!

A new bath tub for our homless?
automated back scratchers included...lol

The trout farm west of Prince George around Beaverly closed a number of years ago, along with the Golf Ball driving range that was built at the same location.
Serious lack of customers.

One would presume that this trout farm will be stocked by the Provincial Government. No doubt there would be a charge to fish, plus a limit on the number of fish a person could catch per day, or per week. If not it would be fished out in short order.

One would hope that the fish caught would be taken home and cooked, and not thrown in the garbage. Dont forget that when you catch a fish you must scale it, clean out the guts, and then cook it. Most city types may find this not too appealing.

With all the lakes surrounding Pr George that are stocked on a regular basis, it makes little or no sense to build a pond in the City, however if it makes no sense, then the City will probably do it.

Nothing wrong with this idea at all. As a very serious fisherman myself, I don't see this as something that will cater to me in regards to fishing opportunities. I will go to the numerous natural lakes around here for that.

What it would likely do is provide a venue for people who can't go an hour or two out of town or for those who would maybe just like to spend the odd day a year trying their luck, maybe the grandpa taking his grandson out, etc. Like the article said, it would likely also be a GREAT field trip for school kids and if it's well done, it would just make for a very nice addition to a park and add to the overall ambience of an area.

Heck, I could see myself just plopping down in front of it and having a bite to eat while watching the trout feed, etc. It would be similar to spending some time down at Cottonwood Island or Forests for the World. We need more spots like this in our urban environment.

Como Lake in Coquitlam is a good example. Kids have caught 3-5 lb trout in that pond.
Vancouver has Trout Lake. A great idea for kids who can't access rural lakes like we can.

Let's encourage City hall to scrap the idea of a new palace for the fuzz, instead,
build a park there, complete with trout pond, how's that for radical thinking?
metalman.