Land swap would expand Lake Louise ski area
In return for expansion of ski area, other land returned to wilderness
Lake Louise Ski Resort, the third largest ski area in Canada, could return 30 per cent of its lease to wilderness in Banff National Park in exchange for developing backcountry areas such as West Bowl and Richardson’s Ridge, according to draft site guidelines. The changes, released Monday by Parks Canada, are a blueprint for potential development at the ski resort in the future.
“The last plan that’s in place for the ski area dates to 1981,” Melanie Kwong, superintendent of Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay national parks, told reporters at a briefing in Banff. “So this proposal really represents a major achievement in creating long- term certainty and sustainability for Banff National Park.”
She said the guidelines balance and manage a variety of needs related to environmental protection, visitor experience and the development of the ski area.
The proposal includes the net reduction of the ski area leasehold by 669 hectares, or close to 30 per cent — the equivalent of Jasper’s Marmot Basin and Banff’s Mount Norquay ski areas combined or, for the non- skiers, the size of 800 Canadian football fields.
Lake Louise ski officials said it’s a victory for everyone using the national park.
“Almost half of our leasehold is being given back to the park ... for protection,” said Dan Markham, a spokesman for the Lake Louise Ski Resort. “In exchange for that, some of the area that is closer to our leasehold, we’ll gain some access to that. All in all, it’s about a 30 per cent reduction in our leasehold.”
The area that would be returned to wilderness includes the undeveloped Purple and Wolverine Bowls, and sections of the Whitehorn wildlife corridor, which are used by animals such as grizzly bears and lynx.
By returning the area to wilderness, Lake Louise would then have an option to open West Bowl, Hidden Bowl, Richardson’s Ridge and West Juniper to skiers and snowboarders. It could allow Lake Louise to accommodate up to 11,500 visitors daily — up from 6,000 — on every type of terrain from beginner to advanced over the next decade.
Other proposed changes include building a reservoir that would eliminate the need to draw from streams for snow making.
The summer operations at Lake Louise could also change, building a new lodge on Eagle’s Ridge, higher up the mountain, to avoid using the Whitehorn Lodge in the summer and reduce the proximity to important grizzly bear habitat.
Environmental groups said they are still reviewing the proposal.
“Water considerations and wildlife corridors and movement need to be carefully reviewed,” said Anne- Marie Syslak, executive director of the southern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society. “Lake Louise is home to many sensitive species, like grizzly bears, western cutthroat trout and white bark pine, so a review of the environmental assessment particularly looking at cumulative effects with increased use will need to be very carefully considered.”
She said CPAWS would be submitting comments to Parks Canada in the coming week.
There will be public open houses on the proposal, which is available on the Parks Canada website, at the Multi- purpose Room A, Markin MacPhail Centre, Canada Olympic Park in Calgary on June 11; Banff Park Lodge on June 12; and Lake Louise Inn on June 13. All sessions run from 6 to 8 p. m. The public can also submit comments to opinion@ pc. gc. ca until midnight on June 21.
This proposal really represents a major achievement in creating longterm certainty and sustainability for Banff.