The Banff Paradox: Everyone's Serene Getaway from Everyone Else
The Banff Paradox:
Everyone's Serene Getaway from Everyone Else
Guest Writer Gemma Tarling, Summer Interpreter 2018
A mere 9,658 people call Banff
home, yet the popular tourist destination receives millions of visitors every
year (Enns 2018). Since 1885, when the Canadian Government established the area
as the Hot Springs Reserve, the township has been orchestrated with tourism in
mind. Diverse marketing campaigns draw people from all backgrounds to this idyllic
destination: for skiing, hiking, pristine views of the Canadian Rockies, or
maybe to stay at the monumental Fairmont Banff Springs hotel. From the start,
Banff has been sustained by its visitors, but how have modern advancements in
technology changed the way that those visitors come to and interact with the
parks?
Reflecting on my summer here drew to
my attention the juxtaposition of the history of Banff I relate on tours and
the current state of the town. The Banff I explain to visitors at the Museum is
a quaint place with family names and a single general store. This is hardly the
case walking down modern day Banff Avenue, where every other person has a
beaver tail in one hand and a cell phone in the other (to get that picturesque
shot of Cascade Mountain of course). At first, I thought these two versions of
Banff were separate entities, divided by some kind of invisible barricade in
time. Under further observation, I realized I was mistaken.
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| Banff Avenue, looking North, 1880- 1890, Boorne and May fonds (V10/1/17/NA66-617) |
There’s no doubt Banff has
undergone changes over the last couple hundred years: miners and railway surveyors
are few and far between, and a dip in hot spring waters takes place in pools
rather than caves. However, many of the modern day issues brought on by the
town’s unique location within a national park remain the same. The historic
debate between Norman Luxton and J. B. Harkin over whether Banff should be
protected or exploited is still a pertinent issue, just with different voices
advocating for each side. A fine balance exists between sharing the natural
wonders that exist here in Banff National Park with the world and allowing too
great a human impact on the environment for it to be sustainable.
Over the last century, Banff has
been transformed from a place of awe into a place of explanation. Visitors are
given the chance to marvel at historic and natural destinations, from Bankhead
to the Columbia Icefield, with each unique occurrence put into context by
knowledgeable staff or helpful signage. There’s truly something beautiful about
walking down Banff Avenue and hearing five or six languages spoken on a single
block, and to think that all these people have chosen Banff National Park as a
destination worthy of their money and time. Evidently, Banff is a destination
of international acclaim, so it is imperative that the narrative of
conservation versus use within the Park is constructive and perhaps even
implementable across borders.
Enns, Darren. “Briefing, Subject: 2017 Census.” 8 January
2018. 19 August 2018.
Town of Banff. “History and Heritage.” 2018. 18 August 2018.
https://www.banff.ca/index.aspx?NID=113
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