Editor: Undermining or no undermining, the Three Sisters Resort Centre was approved in 2004 with the condition that the golf course (now undeveloped) would act as a buffer in the summer months between the wildlife corridor and the Resort Centre, as well as functioning as a seasonal wildlife corridor the rest of the year. It was part of the deal.
Now TSMV wants to amend the Resort Centre ASP, build on this unfinished golf course, effectively adding more people up against the edge of the wildlife corridor. What could this mean for the people of Canmore and the wildlife? A raw deal, that’s what it means.
When developers cry out they have to develop on the unfinished golf course to make it financially feasible for them, it’s a weak argument. Let’s not forget they purchased the land for pennies on the dollar in 2014 when it was in receivership. Plus, with the current ASP, there are approvals in place right now to start building in the Resort Centre which would give our local builders work for a good long time.
TSMV’s strategy for mitigating the functionality of the shrunken wildlife zone is to build a fence, just like the one we see in Banff National Park. And the people of Canmore need to pay for the maintenance of this fence. Huh?
Let’s see how this looks … developer builds on seasonal wildlife corridor/buffer … they shrink the area for wildlife to move through … they put up a fence … they sell a bunch of lots and make oodles of cash and leave town. Then the people of Canmore pay for the maintenance of the fence in perpetuity. And the wildlife have an even harder time of moving through the corridor.
A raw deal indeed.
Lisa Downing,
Canmore
