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The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary will remain closed this spring and summer as work continues to recover the highly-sensitive lands that were devastated by the 2013 flood.

Tons of debris — from appliances and furniture to playground equipment and propane tanks — remain deeply embedded in sand and mud at the sanctuary’s northeast edge where the Bow River curves south.

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And because of complex delays to access and limits on working only when fish are undisturbed, the $2 million recovery is not expected to be complete until sometime next year.

“The damage at this site was very bad. We had tons, and tons, and tons of debris, including a 300-pound propane tank we had to be really careful with,” said Doug Marter, planning manager with city parks.

“We even lost access to the site because of the devastation.”

Photo by Mikaela MacKenzie / Calgary Herald

Marter explained that because the sanctuary is federally-regulated and along a river channel, gaining access back with recovery vehicles required a lengthy approval process through the province.

As well, because of the sensitive trout habitat, recovery work near the Bow River is only permitted in part of April and parts of late July through to early October.