Parks Canada Approves Site Guidelines for Lake Louise Ski Area
August 1, 2015 Lake Louise, Alberta Parks Canada
Blake Richards, Member of Parliament for Wild Rose, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced the approval of the Lake Louise Ski Area Site Guidelines for Development and Use. The approved Guidelines, developed in collaboration with the Lake Louise Ski Area, include major gains in conservation, visitor experience and education for one of Canada’s most iconic winter destinations.
Benefits of the Site Guidelines include the net reduction of the ski area leasehold by 669 hectares or close to 30 percent. An area approximately the same size as Marmot Basin (558 ha) and Mount Norquay ski areas (167 ha) combined will return to the park and become designated wilderness. Areas include the undeveloped and pristine Purple and Wolverine Bowls, and large sections of the Whitehorn Wildlife Corridor, both of which are commonly used by a variety of sensitive species including grizzly bears and mountain goats. The wilderness designation means there will be no commercial development under federal regulations.
Further ecological gains include improving stream flow conditions in the Pipestone River and Coral Creek, which provide important aquatic habitat.
The approved Site Guidelines provide the Lake Louise Ski Area with a blueprint for long-term growth, and connecting visitors to the unique heritage and sense of place in Banff National Park. In light of the significant conservation gains and in accordance with ski area management guidelines, several new areas of ski terrain will be considered, including major new beginner and intermediate terrain, as well as alpine bowl skiing experiences for the more advanced.
In addition, the development of a new day lodge in the vicinity of the Grizzly Gondola top terminal would support relocation of summer use operations away from sensitive grizzly bear habitat, while providing improved visitor facilities and spectacular sightseeing.
Jonathan Lefebvre
Office of the Minister of the Environment
819-997-1441
Media Relations
Parks Canada
1-855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca
Tania Peters
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Banff National Park
250-343-2005
tania.peters@pc.gc.ca
