While many people are headed to the national parks for fun and relaxation this long weekend, some residents and visitors to Waterton- packed a conference room Saturday to voice concerns about the location of a proposed new visitors center.
Lease holders and visitors alike are concerned by the lack of consultation by Parks Canada regarding a decision to build a new visitor center for Waterton Lakes National Park in one of the last remaining green spaces in town. At the public forum, many voiced concerns about traffic, parking, and the safety of children a nearby playground.
“You come for one day out of the year with your family, and we want this to be a great visit for you,” Coordinator of Save The Waterton Field, Bonnie Fromm said. “I think it’s really sad that Parks Canada isn’t addressing these concerns because they will impact every person who comes into this park.”
Even local business owners, who would benefit from the new facility being downtown, are equally concerned about safety issues.
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“I would probably prefer it downtown because there would be more people milling around, and my business would increase,” Ross Uibel, a local business owner said. “I’m not interested in that, I’m more interested in public safety and the visitor experience.”
Waterton Lakes Park Superintendent, Ifan Thomas was invited to the forum, but did not attend. He said Parks Canada had already arranged a public consultation session for June.
“Part of that session will allow us to really deal more fully with the wide range of issues and items related to this proposal and it will allow us the time to do it in a way that’s respectful,” Thomas said.
Many residents would prefer that the new visitor center be built adjacent to the current location, at the park entrance. Parks Canada says the location within the townsite will better serve the hundreds of thousands of visitors the park sees every year.
Parks Canada has no plans to change the proposed location for the new visitors center, but will review the site if a significant issue arises.
“Parks Canada stands by the location,” Thomas said. “We’ve always said, if something substantial was brought forward, something new, we would revisit. But to date, that hasn’t been the case.”
Ground breaking for the center will begin in 2018, with completion slated for 2019.
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