Banff National Park of Canada

Record of 2008 Planning Forum

November 20th & 21st, 2008
Rocky Mountain Resort, Banff, Alberta

Executive Summary

Printable Version (PDF, 137 Kb)

In order to create a brief digest of the key points raised in discussion, they have been grouped below under the three focus areas of the meeting.

Focus 1:

Exploring and providing input on special events in the national park context.

Parks Canada presentations provided background on special events in Banff National Park and throughout the national park system. “World Cafe”-style breakout sessions explored a series of questions about how to review and present special events that would:

• • enhance the visitor experience,
• foster a sense of Banff National Park as a special place, and
• further Parks Canada’s education and protection goals

Once the breakout session results were presented, Round Table members commented on what they had heard that was of most significance to them, and what areas seemed to need further discussion or clarification.

Highlights of points that garnered general agreement:

Demographics:
Audiences are changing, and we need to find relevance to new users without losing traditional users. We need to find ways to reach out to new Canadians, youth, families.

The role of Parks Canada:
In different events, Parks Canada may engage at different levels, from being largely a regulator/venue provider, to being a partner, to being the presenter of the event.

The desired qualities of events:
• Very well organized
• Delivered professionally, with well-trained staff with a strong connection to the park
• Deliberate inclusion of the three desired outcomes, not as an afterthought but at the outset
• Links to park natural and cultural heritage, including First Nations history and culture.

Environmental stewardship:
Ecological integrity is key. Special events should be chosen/designed/implemented so that their environmental impacts are mitigatable.

Community involvement:
The involvement of knowledgeable and enthusiastic locals is essential to the presentation of successful special events.

The economy:
Tough economic times are ahead.

Infrastructure:
Appropriate “hard” (venues, parking, washrooms, equipment, etc.) and “soft” (permitting process, knowledge, organizers, volunteers, clear messages, etc.) infrastructure needs to be in place.

Permitting process:
The process needs to be open, objective, consistent and transparent, with clear criteria and timely approval/rejection decisions.

A learning cycle:
We need to define and then measure success, and use the learning from each event to make the next one better.

Highlights of points that need further discussion/did not garner general agreement:

The role of events in the national park:
Opinions varied widely. Some felt that the national park is an event in and of itself, and that there is little need to “gild the lily”. Others felt that special events should be built entirely around the objectives and mandate of the national park, and still others felt that special events should be audience attractors, and that the audiences could be engaged in national park messages once they’re here.

Competitive events:
Some believe that these are fine in national parks and a good way to reach out to competitive, adrenaline-driven youth. Others disagree with competitive events in national parks.

The desired qualities of events:
• Quality vs. quantity
• Small vs. large
• Traditional vs. Contemporary: some people considered that a good special event should focus on activities traditional in the park; others felt that new activities would reach out to new demographics.

User conflicts:
Some felt that noise, numbers of spectators, etc. interfering with traditional users of the park would be unacceptable. Others felt that “exclusivity” (“my use trumps your use”) for traditional users was inappropriate.

Activity vs. Event appropriateness:
Some believe the two are the same (i.e. if the activity is appropriate, then an event featuring it is appropriate), others argued that any activity should be assessed based on “how” it is being done (e.g. an activity that is appropriate for individuals or small groups may not be appropriate at a large scale as a special event).

What’s the desired take-home story?:
Several groups and individuals referred to a need to “know who we are” before figuring out how to send special events participants home with the appropriate message of who we are.

Limits to growth:
Some participants felt that we need continued growth in visitor numbers in Banff National Park, and that special events would have an important role to play in ensuring that. Others felt that growth should be limited, or that we are close to maximum numbers at present in certain seasons or locations.

Superintendents’ response

The superintendents provided an initial reaction to what they had heard from the forum participants. Highlights included:
• There is no question of whether or not there will be special events. The questions are instead “How do we create excellent events?” and “What kind of process will we use to approve events?”
• Tough economic times are coming, but the Parks Canada mandate does not change. This means we’ll have to work harder and more creatively to meet our mandate.
• Authenticity is a difficult and changing concept – sometimes we have to challenge our assumptions.
• Events will benefit if we have a diverse range of expertise involved in their development.
• The permit process has to be clear, transparent and timely, it has to provide a better opportunity for public input and it has to cover both environmental and social side issues. We have to set clear expectations for the proponents, a measurable set of outcomes, and a process for learning from results.

Next steps and timing

Information gathering:
Finishing and collecting all of the research from visitors, from events of last summer, from the online panel, adding that to all of the comments from Parks Canada staff, from this session, along with the principles that Parks Canada has to adhere to and their corporate expectations. This is expected to be complete around Christmas.

Creating a draft revised process:
A revised process will look at both the environmental and social sides, and will probably include appendices that include checklists, toolkits, etc. for event preparation, as well as a mechanism for informing and involving stakeholders and the public in the proposal review process. A draft process is expected by February.

Continuing the dialogue:
Parks Canada will be working with stakeholders and the public on the draft process and on the remaining questions that warrant further discussion and resolution.

Input to the management plan process:
Parks Canada will be deciding whether to address some of the special events issues and opportunities through changes to the management plan: potentially clarity in some areas, specific responses.

Participants were encouraged to continue their involvement as these steps proceed.

Focus 2:

Community accountability and dialogue

An evening session was held, open to Round Table participants and the general public. The program included a brief “Year in Review” statement by the superintendents, followed by an open question-and-answer session.

Year in review

Highlights of the superintendents’ comments included:
• The continued legacy of the Banff Eco-Integrity projects
• The challenges and successes of park infrastructure redevelopment
• Continued partnership with the Siksika First Nation
• Renovations at the Banff Park Museum
• Planned renovations at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site
• Commemorative integrity evaluations
• Devon Lakes ecosystem restoration
• Grizzly bear and TCH crossing structure research
• Black bear mortalities
• Prescribed burn and mountain pine beetle
• At-risk caribou population

Superintendents’ open forum

Questions were asked and answered on the following topics:
• Special events
• The superintendents’ visions of the park 50 years from now
• The 20-year vision for the Bow Valley Parkway and the Moraine Lake Road
• Promotion and marketing of the parks
• Infrastructure renewal priorities
• The role of federal-provincial cooperation in the management of shared ecosystems
• Whether visitor interest in parks is declining
• Visitor centre/welcome centre plans for Banff National Park and the broader Rocky Mountain region
• Responsibility for fences and their maintenance along the TCH
• A summit on the relationship between the world heritage site and the province, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the WHS designation
• Parks Canada’s role and activities in education

Focus 3:

Providing information updates on National Recreational Activities Assessments, the Mountain Park Management Plan Review and the Icefields Parkway Planning Initiative.

Parks Canada presentations updated participants on the three initiatives. Highlights were as follows:

National Recreational Activities Assessments

• New activities are being considered because of the constant evolution in activities, and new possibilities, new business, new interest
• New activities can be new opportunities to transmit park messages
• National approval of an activity does not automatically translate into local approval
• Examples of activities being looked at are: paragliding, hang gliding (brought up by creation of new park), via ferrata, canopy tours, zip lines, adventure courses.
• Possible activities for future consideration: kite surfing, kite skiing.

Mountain Park Management Plan Review

• Scoping document for the management plan review is being finalized
• Role of the park management plan: to translate national legislation and policy into local action, to deliver on Parks Canada’s mandate, to incorporate the perspectives of all citizens, and to provide public accountability
• Principles that inform the plan review: moving forward rather than starting anew, a platform for relationship-building, integration through an area approach, a new format to better link vision, long-term strategies and day-to-day decision-making
• A stronger vision for the mountain parks as a whole, in line with how visitors experience the parks as a block

Icefields Parkway Planning Initiative

• Status right now: a draft strategic concept was developed in concert with an External Advisory Group.
• Process and timelines: The strategic concept will be reviewed as part of the mountain parks management plan review process. Once input is incorporated, the final concept will become part of the management plans for Banff and Jasper national parks. The timeframe, therefore, will be around 2010.
• Strategic concept includes three sections: 1) Future Best: Our Desire for the Future, Specific to the Icefields Parkway; 2) Key Directions: Provide Guidance on the Planning and Implementation; 3) Strategies: Five Strategies Identified to Help the Future Best Become a Reality.

Full proceedings are available by contacting the Office of the Banff Field Unit Superintendent at Banff.Superintendent@pc.gc.ca or 403.762.1510.

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