Banff tourism officials have joined the call for better management of visitor traffic in the most heavily visited parts of the national park.
In a document outlining its development plans for the next decade, Banff and Lake Louise Tourism says it wants to reduce damaging traffic bottlenecks through improved public transit and fewer private vehicles.
鈥淭his is a priority,鈥� said CEO Leslie Bruce. 鈥淧rivate vehicle traffic is one of the single biggest challenges in terms of our congestion and our ability to be sustainable.鈥�
Managing increased visitation in Banff National Park is becoming a major park issue. Traffic to Lake Louise, one of the park鈥檚 most popular sites, has increased 71 per cent over the last decade and its parking lots are full round the clock.
Parks Canada recently released a report of its own calling for more mass transit in the Lake Louise area. It also closed the road to Moraine Lake, near Lake Louise, to private vehicles 鈥� a move that drew criticism from the Alberta government.
But Bruce鈥檚 group, which heard from more than 2,000 residents and worked with both Parks Canada and the town of Banff, concluded more public transit and fewer cars are what鈥檚 needed.
鈥淭he discussions we鈥檙e having relate to having reliable and bookable service to the places that people come from around the world to see,鈥� she said.
Nor do those services have to be motorized.
鈥淎re there reliable bike paths?鈥� Bruce asked. 鈥淎re there ways for people to get there without getting into a motorized vehicle?鈥�
Bruce welcomed Parks Canada鈥檚 recent announcement of $71 million for infrastructure in the mountain parks, including money for improvements in Lake Louise.
The tourism group also set other goals, including educating visitors to respect the wilderness they鈥檙e visiting 鈥� both the animals that live there and the land itself.
鈥淚鈥檝e never worked in a role where I鈥檝e had to talk so much about human waste and I don鈥檛 mean garbage,鈥� said Bruce. 鈥淲e really want to teach our guests this value of nature, which includes picking up after yourself and giving wildlife some space.鈥�
Bruce said the tourism group believes tourism in Banff must be better managed, not just bigger.
鈥淭his is not a plan for more and more and more visitors.鈥�
In a statement from spokeswoman Kira Tyron, Parks Canada welcomed the adoption of the tourism group鈥檚 plan.
鈥淭he vision demonstrates the shared commitment that Indigenous peoples, community, businesses, and stakeholders have toward the long-term sustainability of Banff National Park for generations to come,鈥� it said. 鈥淲e look forward to continued engagement with Banff and Lake Louise Tourism.鈥�
鈥擝ob Weber, The Canadian Press
RELATED: Banff, Jasper, Kootenay and Yoho national parks to see infrastructure upgrades
