Lake Louise Community Plan

PART III: VISITOR & COMMUNITY SERVICES

View of Lake Louise and Plain of Six Glaciers.
© Parks Canada/2000

A PLACE FOR PEOPLE
. . . Services for Visitors

POLICY DIRECTION

With respect to Banff and Lake Louise, the Bow Valley Study recognized that these visitor centres “ . . . will help Banff National Park fulfill its tourism role as described in the Tourism Destination Model and will contribute to the ecological integrity of the park by serving as centres for infrastructure and activities.”

The management plan states that Lake Louise will:

• serve primarily as a day use destination and visitor service centre
  
  
• offer basic and essential services and facilities that support heritage tourism that meet the immediate needs of visitors
  
  
• share services with Field and Banff
  
  
• limit the capacity of commercial accommodation
  
  
• assign specific limits to operators and allow them to expand to their assigned limits
  
  
• proceed with consideration of the proposal for a meeting facility at the Chateau Lake Louise
  
  

In May, 1998 the Federal Government refined this direction by:

• prohibiting new commercial accommodation operations
  
  
• restricting commercial development by floor area ratios, assigned visitor capacities and occupancy rates
  
  
• ensuring development and use provides the opportunity to enjoy high quality travel experiences based on national park values
  
  
• placing conditions on the proposed Chateau Lake Louise Meeting Facility
  
  

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