The proposed Maligne Lake redevelopment, which includes the construction of 15 tent cabins and a 66-room hotel, is under fire from environmentalists and former Parks Canada employees.
Most recently, the Jasper Environmental Association launched a postcard campaign, asking Prime Minister Stephen Harper to stop his government from destroying historic treasures like Maligne Lake.
鈥淎 hotel will not only corrupt a wilderness area but will put more pressure on two threatened species鈥攚oodland caribou and grizzly bears.
鈥淧arks Canada must be allowed to preserve these small remnants of wilderness and their threatened wildlife for future generations of Canadians and world visitors,鈥� states the postcard addressed to Right Hon. Stephen Harper.
As well as the postcards, which are currently available in Jasper, Edmonton, Calgary, Banff and Canmore, Parks Canada has been criticized by former employees for considering the proposal.
In a letter to Supt. Greg Fenton, Grant Potter, the retired business liaison officer for Jasper National Park, pinpoints specific policies that are being violated by constructing the Glacier Skywalk at Tangle Ridge and that would be violated if Maligne Lake Tours鈥� proposal for a hotel and tent cabins is approved.
He also noted small policy changes that pack a big punch, whether it be the changing of a few words or the removal of an entire phrase.
鈥淚 have been dismayed for some time at the direction Parks Canada has been moving,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淟ong-standing policies and direction have and are being changed at an alarming rate. Now, I can and must speak out.鈥�
And it鈥檚 not just Potter who鈥檚 raising his voice.
In a Facebook post that鈥檚 been viewed and shared by thousands of people, Kevin Van Tighem wrote 鈥渢here is absolutely no public support or demand for these developments鈥攖hey serve only the commercial interests of private companies who have access to senior politicians.
鈥淭he public interest, in short, is being sold out in spite of clear messages from Canadians that they don鈥檛 want more development and diversions in their treasured national parks.鈥�
Van Tighem, who worked for Parks Canada for more than 30 years, retired as superintendent of Banff National Park in 2011. His comments refer to numerous recent developments and development proposals in the mountain parks, including the one for Maligne Lake.
The Maligne Lake proposal is currently in the conceptual stage and hasn鈥檛 yet been presented to the public, but Parks Canada has said it is willing to consider it.
鈥淚t has the potential to contribute to enhancing visitor experiences and learning opportunities and connection with place,鈥� said Supt. Greg Fenton, explaining why Parks is open to the proposal.
Harvey Sawler, a tourism consultant contracted by Maligne Lake Tours, said the company has so far submitted two concept proposals to Parks, both of which have come back with requests for revisions.
鈥淧arks Canada is holding our feet to the fire and setting the bar high in terms of the things that we have to explain.
鈥淲e now have the results of that second review and we鈥檙e into our third layer of the proposal, so we鈥檙e actually doing the research, analysis and the writing for that,鈥� he said, referring to himself, Pat Crowley, general manager of Maligne Lake Tours, and a sustainability consultant from Ventus Development Services.
Although not at the stage where Parks requires public consultation, Maligne Lake Tours has also been holding meetings with community members and interest groups, by invitation only.
Those meetings, said Sawler, are an attempt to get the company鈥檚 鈥渟tory鈥� out, so that the community knows exactly what is being proposed and why.
鈥淢aligne Lake is not all about a 9鈥�5 experience,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut the way it鈥檚 been couched over time is kind of like a gated attraction, where you pull into the attraction and then at 5 o鈥檆lock you roll up the carpet and shut it all down.鈥�
In an effort to change that and to stray from the boat tour being a 鈥渙ne trick pony,鈥� Maligne Lake Tours is trying to revamp its offer. That includes offering overnight 鈥渉eritage themed accommodation,鈥� with no TV, wifi, phones or air conditioning, and tent cabins with a two-person capacity.
But it also includes offering horseback adventures, a wildlife-themed maze for children, voyageur canoe trips complete with a guide, and earth caching, which is similar to geocaching, but has people searching for geological features rather than trinkets.
鈥淲e need to refresh the product,鈥� said Crowley. 鈥淭he [existing day lodge] is not functional, so we need to address that in some manner.
鈥淭his is the proposal we have for now. Who knows which portion of it Parks might approve or decline.鈥�
The proposal will become public if or when Parks approves it. Following that, there will also be a public engagement process, with open houses in Jasper and Edmonton.
鈥淭he results of the public and Aboriginal engagement process will help shape their concept proposal ... and we鈥檒l use that information as well to provide them direction on what we would consider or not at a more detailed stage of proposal development,鈥� said Fenton, explaining the process.
聽Nicole Veerman
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