Conservationists pan plans for Lake Louise expansion
Critics concerned about increased traffic, not enough public input
Conservationists are criticizing the proposed expansion of the ski area at Lake Louise resort, suggesting Parks Canada is allowing too much development and rushing the public input process. On Monday, the draft site guidelines for one of the country’s largest ski resorts were released and a three- week public input process began.
“Count me as vigorously opposed to the massive expansion of the Lake Louise ski hill contemplated in these guidelines,” Harvey Locke, a well- known conservationist who lives in Banff, wrote in his submission to Parks Canada and sent to the Herald. “There are many things terribly wrong.”
The draft guidelines reduce the resort’s leasehold by 669 hectares, but return undeveloped land to wilderness in exchange for developing other backcountry areas such as West Bowl, Hidden Bowl, Richardson’s Ridge and West Juniper.
It would allow Lake Louise to accommodate up to 11,500 visitors daily — almost double the current 6,000.
Locke said there’s no evidence the ski hill needs to expand to remain viable.
“It’s not about needing to expand,” said Dan Markham, a spokesman for Lake Louise ski resort. “It’s more about being prepared to expand at the time should the market demand for that.
“In the years to come, there could be opportunities where the market demand could get higher.”
Locke said the proposed expansion plans into the undeveloped areas range from palatable to shocking.
“The idea of expanding into Hidden Bowl is shocking,” he said. “This is a wilderness area out of the sight lines of the current ski hill. It should stay that way.”
He suggested allowing skiing without lifts in West Bowl isn’t as problematic, but the other areas also raise concerns.
“There is no need to carve up Richardson’s Ridge which is currently in a wild state and beautiful just as it is,” he said. “Keep it unimpaired for future generations.”
Melanie Kwong, superintendent of Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay national parks, said they are trying to reach a balance between the environment and the future viability of the ski area.
“We’ve been talking with the ski area since their last plan in 1981,” she said, noting the resort has put forward a number of different proposals related to the undeveloped areas. “We were always very insistent — because of what they represented and the wildlife corridor habitat that it created for very sensitive species — that we would not consider developing there.”
Kwong said it’s a large environmental gain for the national park to return those areas to wilderness.
Although he agreed with the return of undeveloped areas, Locke was also concerned about what the increase in numbers to the ski area would mean for parking.
Similarly, another conservationist raised concerns about the impact on traffic volumes.
Colleen Campbell, president of the Bow Valley Naturalists, said she hasn’t reviewed the entire proposal, but attended a briefing with Parks Canada on Monday and immediately had concerns.
“I think about another 3,000 cars a day on weekends on the Trans-Canada Highway,” she said Tuesday. “What’s the effect on safety and rescue on the roads? What’s the effect on wildlife?
“What’s the effect on hotels and, at the end of the day, on Banff and Canmore when we already can’t go downtown to have a bite to eat or visit a pub because they are crowded? We’re already at capacity.”
Campbell also questioned what impact all of that has on the visitor experience in an already busy Banff National Park.
In addition, they both raised concerns about a rushed process to get the guidelines through without enough public input.
“I am shocked at this effort to hustle through a monumental decision in a very controversial area of Banff park,” said Locke. “We have been waiting for guidelines for nine years and now to give us three weeks to comment is a deeply flawed process.
“This is really unfair to all Canadians to whom Banff National Park belongs.”
Public input on the draft site guidelines, which are available online at www. pc. gc. ca/ lakelouise2015, is being taken until midnight on June 21.
There are three open houses being held next week in Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise from 6 p. m. to 8: 30 p. m. on June 10, 11 and 12 respectively. Comments can also be submitted online at opinion@ pc. gc. ca.