Parks Canada Announces Design for New Visitor Centre in Waterton Lakes National Park

New centre will offer enhanced visitor experiences and complement the beautiful setting of the community of Waterton

January 12, 2018        Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta        Parks Canada Agency

Today, Parks Canada unveiled the design concept for the new visitor centre at Waterton Lakes National Park. Parks Canada manages national heritage places for all Canadians, and national parks offer visitors an unparalleled first-hand experience of the unique cultural, historic and natural places across the country.

The new Waterton Lakes National Park visitor centre will welcome Canadians and visitors from around the world, providing them with opportunities to learn about the park’s cultural and environmental significance. Waterton Lakes National Park is part of a World Heritage Site, and together with Glacier National Park, U.S.A., it forms the world's first International Peace Park and international Dark Sky Park.

The Town Plaza (Concept #3) design option was selected for the new Waterton Lakes visitor centre following public consultations, a community open house, and the careful review and consideration of three design options. The preferred design features a central plaza that will complement the beautiful setting of the community of Waterton. This main public plaza will become a vibrant part of Waterton’s commercial district and include an outdoor theatre that will provide a gathering space for engagement with visitors and the community.

Most importantly, the proximity of the new visitor centre to services in the Waterton business district and the townsite campground will provide Parks Canada with opportunities to connect directly and more frequently with the greatest number of visitors, enabling enhanced visitor experiences through welcome, orientation and a full range of interpretive programing.

Through its valued relationship with the Blackfoot, Parks Canada is also working closely with Indigenous partners to develop interpretive material for the new visitor centre that reflect Blackfoot history, traditions, culture and contributions to Waterton Lakes National Park.

In addition, the Town Plaza design will provide a new ‘nature-based’ playground for families with children. The existing playground and splash park will be relocated to another area of the townsite (Block 42 - School Site on Waterton Park Community Association leasehold land) as per the Agreement in Principle with the Association and Improvement District #4.

The Visitor Centre project will be managed to ensure the best use of taxpayer’s money and will allow for the consolidation of three Parks Canada assets: the aging Falls Theatre and Townsite Administration buildings, along with the former visitor centre, which was struggling to accommodate the growing volume of visitors to the Park, even before the structure burned down in the Kenow wildfire in September 2017.

Parks Canada will continue to work closely with stakeholders, First Nations partners, community members, and interested Canadians in the next steps of the project. Parks Canada will finalize the detailed design and environmental assessment in winter 2018. In fall 2018, Parks Canada will work with Public Services and Procurement Canada on tendering the construction contract. Construction of the new Visitor Centre is expected to begin in 2019 with an expected opening in 2021.