Paddling my canoe through the labyrinth of ponds at Three Mile Bend Park, I hear a loud slap on the water.

It could be an alarmed beaver, one of many that make these ponds their home. It could also be the slap of skis hitting the water.

Located in the center of the park are three freestyle jumps. Today, I’m lucky enough to see a freestyle skier in a wetsuit do intricate flips and twists before making a bone-jarring entry into the pond.

The jumps, one of three in Canada and the first to be built in North America, have trained a number of members of Canada’s World Cup Freestyle Ski Team.

Paddling clear of the jumps to avoid ending up with a skier through my canoe, I can explore the many protected channels, bays and even a culvert passage under the access road.

I’ve taught many a canoe lesson on Three Mile Bend’s sheltered waters, as have several of the schools and the Red Deer Canoe and Kayak Club (www.rdckc.com).

According to the 2005 Waskasoo Park Special Gathering Places Study, improved canoe launch facilities and an interesting paddling loop that will include the ponds and a short section of the Red Deer River are planned for the area.

Three Mile Bend is best known as an off-leash dog park. In fact, it’s the only official one in Red Deer. Dedicated dog walkers dominate the trail, the busiest section of the Waskasoo Park trail system.

Unfortunately, conflicts have occurred between cyclist and inline skaters and dog owners. This can be avoided if cyclists slow down through this section of the trail and dog owners maintain at least some control over their pets.

At one time, dog owners set up an organization called Friends of Three Mile Bend which, among other initiatives, hosted a cleanup of doggy do-do left by the small minority of irresponsible dog owners. An annual fundraising event, Bark at the Bend, sponsored by the SPCA, takes place in September at Three Mile Bend. For more information, visit www.reddeerspca.com.

Three Mile Bend is by no means an intact natural area. Although it was fashioned from a previous gravel mining operation, the park is an excellent example of reclamation in progress. In his book Three Mile Bend, Kerry Wood mentions finding white lady’s-slipper orchids, round-leafed orchids, Arctic raspberry, Labrador tea and clematis in this area.

He also mentions the presence of milkweed and sightings of the Monarch butterflies that feed on this plant. Who knows, a careful search of what remains of the native vegetation may reveal these gems.

Besides the beaver and muskrat that abound in the ponds, Canada geese and many species of ducks nest there.

Located high on a telephone post near the ponds is an osprey nest. When the power lines were improved, the pole, nest and all, was moved 400 metres to its present site.

In the spring, I’ve often seen two or three osprey chicks eagerly awaiting the return of an adult with a tasty fish taken from the nearby river or pond.

Canada geese tried to take over the nest this past spring but were unceremoniously escorted away by the returning ospreys.

All this activity can be enjoyed from well-placed picnic tables and a small picnic shelter centrally located in the park. Most of the park is wheelchair accessible.

Another unique feature of the park is a track for remote control cars. It features a challenging track, an elevated command center overlooking the track, and a protective security fence. The Red Deer Remote Control Car Club funded the project.

A trail map for Three Mile Bend is available at www.hexapod.ca.

Don Wales is the president of the Red Deer River Naturalists. His seven-part series, The Seven Natural Wonders of Red Deer, will appear on Wednesday’s in LIFE.