BANFF – Sunshine Village is pitching an idea to relocate its summer use from Sunshine Meadows to Upper Goat’s Eye.
The ski resort wants to build an aerial tram from the base to the Sunshine Coast area on Goat’s Eye, complete with restaurant and interpretive trail. But Parks Canada says the first it heard of this specific proposal was in a recent meeting with Sunshine.
Dave Riley, Sunshine’s chief operating officer, said that, given Parks’ concerns about increasing use of the meadows and wildlife habitat, the proposed tram and an associated interpretive trail on Goat’s Eye could be used for summer use.
In exchange, he said, the ski resort would be willing to discontinue the gondola to the upper village and Standish chairlift in summer, as well as close the hotel in summer.
“Our proposal would decrease use in the Sunshine Meadows and we think it meets what their concerns are and would have less environmental impact,” said Riley, noting it would take use away from where wildlife travels.
“It would be like the Jasper Sky Tram or Banff Gondola. It would be a great visitor experience and it would be a more contained operation.”
The proposal forms part of Sunshine’s response to Parks Canada’s draft site guidelines, currently out for public comment until Aug. 19. The ski resort has set up a website seeking public comment on its proposals, as has Parks Canada.
Parks Canada’s draft site guidelines limit development to structures or activities necessary to mitigate the effects of current human use levels, such as outhouses, hardening of trails and rest stops.
In those proposed guidelines, the federal agency says it won’t consider any additional permanent summer use facilities or other attractions in the base area at the resort.
Parks Canada officials say they have heard variations of a tram or gondola proposal for Goat’s Eye over the years, but the recent meeting was the first in which they heard specifics.
They also said they believe another gondola or tram from the base would take away parking.
“Their willingness to forgo summer use (at Sunshine Meadows) came up in discussion about the tram and, in the context of that idea, I think the tram would be a year-round attraction,” said Sheila Luey, acting superintendent for Banff National Park.
“We would have to look at that pretty carefully to determine what the impacts are on all sides of the equation.”
Currently, visitors can catch a bus or ride the gondola to the upper village to access the meadows for hiking the trails, as well as take a sightseeing ride on the Standish chairlift to a viewpoint.
Ski hill officials say under their plan for a secondary gondola or tram to Goat’s Eye, Parks Canada could decide if continuing to run a bus for hikers to access Sunshine Meadows is desirable or not.
Riley said Sunshine’s proposal is not unlike what Parks Canada approved in Lake Louise’s site guidelines. Lake Louise’s site guidelines allow that ski hill to advance its proposal to relocate summer use to Eagle Ridge though a long range planning process.
“They relocated their summer use from the Glacier lift and the Whitehorn up to the higher alpine because it’s out of what they consider the good habitat,” said Riley.
In advance of a long-range plan, Parks Canada would allow Sunshine to extend the length of the summer season from July 1 to Sept. 24; however, hours of operation, use of the Standish chair, trails or commercial facilities may not change from what existed in 2016-17.
Hikers will be encouraged to travel in groups of four to minimize disturbance to sensitive wildlife species. Early season and off-trail travel will continue to be discouraged through public communications, operational protocols, and closures and restrictions.
