Cathy Ellis BANFF
Parks Canada is working on a long-term plan to improve visitor experience and protect wildlife in the Minnewanka Loop region of Banff National Park.
Although much is dependent on budget – the federal government is expected to announce the budget March 29 – the federal agency is working on an integrated approach for managing the area.
“This is all in the early stages, but the goal is to improve visitor experience and ecological integrity,” said Bill Hunt, resource conservation manager for Banff National Park.
“The goal was to look at the whole area as an area concept and be strategic about which parts need to happen and when, and which can happen on different time scales and which ones are intrinsically linked.”
Parks Canada plans to do some social science research to get an idea of expectations for the Minnewanka Loop region, popular with hikers, bikers, horseriders, picnickers and wildlife.
The park’s management plan calls for the restoration of Cascade Pit, an old gravel pit, and restoration of Cascade Creek, where native fish like westslope cutthroat have been eliminated.
There’s also talk of improvements to the Two Jack campground, possible revitalization of the old Cascade power plant into an interpretive centre, and an improved trail network.
In addition, the park’s management plan calls for a possible dedicated bike lane on the Minnewanka Loop by restricting vehicles to one-way travel during the time of the year when the loop is fully open.
The first part of the plan to get off the ground is work on restoring Cascade Creek, a 5.5-kilometre stretch of river below Lake Minnewanka, to a more functioning ecosystem.
TransAlta operates a hydro power development on the river and flows below Minnewanka are a trickle compared to historical levels. In fact, flows to the historical channel have been reduced by 99 per cent.
Hunt said Parks is working with TransAlta to increase flows to help with the ecological restoration project, including preliminary discussions on a micro hydro development.
“We plan to reintroduce cutthroat, but it would certainly be a better program if we can increase the flows,” he said.
The restoration and reclamation of Cascade Pit, aggregate storing area and overflow camping area, is a top priority in the park management plan for 2010-2014.
Over the years, there have been many grand suggestions for restoration of the pit, from a staging area for large-scale special events, to an amphitheatre, and lake and wetlands.
“I think where we’re at lately is it would be reclaimed into an alluvial fan-type habitat,” said Hunt. “This is all part of a corridor and we want to try and keep things as natural as possible.”
There is also the possibility of turning the old power plant at the base of the Minnewanka reservoir into a three-season interpretive centre for visitors.
Hunt said the centre could showcase old versus new hydro power technology, the importance of restoring native fish and the river, and the history of the area, including Bankhead.
“We could show how these areas have changed and evolved over time,” he said.
Hunt said Parks Canada’s realty services staff in Banff are currently looking into whether the federal government or TransAlta owns the building.
He said Parks did a big clean-up of the site last fall.
“We’ve been storing all kinds of old junk in there and the place was overrun with packrats,” he said.
“We’ve got it to a situation where we can go in and do a structural assessment, and see if this is feasible in terms of the building structure.”
As part of the big-picture plan for the entire Minnewanka area, Parks is also looking at improving the camping experience at Two Jack campground.
It could include additional tree thinning to open the shady campground up to more sunlight, possible adjustments to existing loops, a better system for group camping, and possible hike-in or bike-in sites.
“It’s about renewing and updating it to meet the needs of today’s campers,” said Hunt.
The management plan also calls for possibly turning the loop into a one-way route – but that proposal is moving along somewhat slowly – as there is much to consider.
There’s questions of traffic flow, dealing with the seasonal winter closure set up to protect wildlife, which direction the one-way would direct traffic and more.
“There’s questions about the feasibility,” said Hunt.
The trail network – both official and unofficial trails – is also being discussed to improve experience for mountain bikers and horse riders, while at the same time making the area more secure for wildlife.
Hunt said the goal is to take the existing use and put it on fewer trails so, “the footprint of that impact is smaller.”
“There’s very few sections where we need to build anything new. It’s about making existing ones more usable and friendlier for mountain bikers,” he said.
“The thinking is trying to make it easier for people to navigate from town to Bankhead to the campground, to the Minnewanka day-use area, and at all points in between.”
Monica Andreeff, executive director of the Association for Mountain Parks Protection and Enjoyment (AMPPE), said the proposals for Minnewanka Loop area will depend on Parks Canada’s budgets.
She said it will also depend of the findings of its social science research this year, which will include trail counters, surveys and focus groups.
“Personally, I think it’s a better way to spend money, to find out what people are looking for first, before you announce your plan,” she said.
“Their caution is a good thing in that respect. They’re not just leaping into things without getting a lot of feedback.”
Mike McIvor, president of the Bow Valley Naturalists, said the area, which is already busy at times on both sides of the loop, is extremely important to wildlife.
He said he is pleased to see restoration of Cascade River and plans for reintroducing native westslope cutthroat, but one of his concerns would centre on new trails.
“I’d be very reluctant to see, in the middle of all that, another trail with any amount of traffic on it,” he said.
