The proposed location of the new Waterton Lakes National Park Visitor Information Centre continues to cause controversy in the small mountain town.
Emotions ran high over the weekend when Parks Canada staff met with leaseholders for the first time to discuss the new visitor centre.
One man in the crowd yelled “Welcome to Waterton, the dictatorship of Alberta.”
Parks Canada held the community engagement session to offer the public the opportunity to learn about the new visitor centre and provide input into its design.
“We heard a range of opinions, certainly there were people who strongly shared their viewpoint,” Waterton Lakes Superintendent Ifan Thomas said. “We are listening to people and we hope to be able to incorporate their perspectives into the project moving forward.”
While many residents voiced their concerns, Parks Canada says the centre’s location is not up for debate.
“It was unanimous in those who spoke and asked questions: our only concern is location,” Bonnie Fromm with Save the Waterton Field said. Her group is opposed to turning Waterton’s field by the local playground into a visitor centre and parking lot.
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Leaseholders and business owners say they are concerned by the lack of consultation from Parks Canada in their decision to build the centre in one of the town’s few remaining green spaces.
“You say in the press release we were consulted – we were not – we were basically given lip service,” one concerned citizen said.
“The town site location is the best location to serve the visitors,” Thomas said. “It gives us the opportunity to provide that richer, deeper experience that we’re looking for in terms of the long-term approach to welcoming visitors.”
Many residents agree that the park needs a new visitor centre but say they remain hopeful it will be built in a different location.
“My kids love to come to the playground,” Fromm said. “I can remember when I was younger we would play in the field, that’s something I want to pass on to my kids and my grandkids.”
Both sides say they have a common goal: to preserve the park for years to come.
“I don’t believe Waterton is about a visitors centre, it’s about being outside and enjoying all that nature and Canada has to offer, ”Fromm said.
Parks Canada says it plans to move forward with design phase and hopes to collaborate with the community. Many who attended the meeting said they would continue to fight to save the Waterton field.
Groundbreaking for the $7.6-million centre is will begin in 2018 and the facility is expected to be completed in 2019.
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