The Glacier Discovery Walk was given the go-ahead last week, despite a significant outcry from Jasperites and Canadians in opposition to the project.

The announcement was made in Ottawa on Feb. 9 by Environment Minister Peter Kent, the minister responsible for Parks Canada. Kent said the interpretive walkway, proposed by Brewster Travel Canada, is an innovative way for people of all ages and abilities to learn about the geography and glaciology in the area, while taking part in a “view from the edge experience.” He also noted that the project is a good way to boost the economy through increased tourism.

Jasper National Park Supt. Greg Fenton made the ultimate decision on the environmental assessment,  allowing Brewster to move forward with the development of lease agreements and building permits for the project.

“The Glacier Discovery Walk will be a phenomenal opportunity to connect people in a different way ... to the area,” said Fenton, following the announcement.

Preceding last week’s decision, which was delayed by a week and a half, Brewster held a number of open houses and public engagement events, which included opportunities for feedback both before and after the environmental assessment was released.

On the environmental assessment alone, Parks Canada received more than 2,000 comments.

Opponents to the development argue that approval of the Discovery Walk was the approval of the privatization of national parks. With that message, they gained national media attention when Avaaz, an organization that promotes political activism online, picked up their cause, garnering more than 180,000 signatures on a petition to “Save Jasper National Park.”

That petition, in the form of a huge poster board, was presented to Fenton on Jan. 30.

“Certainly there has been a lot of passion that’s come out in those comments both against and for the project,” said Fenton. “We’ve taken that into account in making the decision on the environmental assessment and the decision was, that with some mitigations, it can proceed and will proceed with the next steps of the development review process.”

Although Fenton assured that public comments were taken into account during the decision process, the Jasper Environmental Association, a grassroots group that is vehemently opposed to the project, isn’t convinced.

Kim Wallace, a long time Jasperite and member of the association, said it felt like Parks asked for feedback on the proposed development only so it could check the box to say it had been done.

“I feel like the decision was made right from the get-go,” she said. “It’s misleading that they asked us for feedback.

“They’re calling for feedback, but they already had their decision made. That’s how apathy starts.”

The award-winning Discovery Walk design, by Sturgess Architecture, consists of a 400-metre interpretive boardwalk, with a glass-floored observation deck suspended 30 metres out over the Sunwapta Valley.

“The walk was designed to help visitors engage with the landscape in a unique way that was not previously accessible to a large number of visitors,” said Brewster CEO Michael Hannan. “It will be accessible to all Canadians regardless of mobility challenges.

“There are not a lot of mobility-barrier-free things that you can do within a national park, so we’re quite proud of that.” 

Currently in the Discovery Walk’s proposed location is a 500-metre long pullout where visitors can park and take photos free of charge. Once the Discovery Walk is built, visitors will no longer be able to park at the Tangle Ridge viewpoint, but will rather have to take a free bus ride from the Icefield Centre to the viewpoint. If tourists choose, they can pay an admission fee of between $15 an $29 to take an interpretive tour on the Discovery Walk. If not, they can stand at a public viewpoint at no charge.

Art Jackson, a long time Jasper resident, said this development is not in the interest of the people.

“Blocking a free public viewing site, one in which all levels of ability can access, by the way, to give to private commercial interest and to charge for it is not in the interest of the public good or in any way protects the wildlife that live there.”

Kent said he thinks many of the arguments from opponents will be silenced once the structure is built.

“I think that when it’s fully in place many of today’s critics will become fans,” he said.

“The Glacier Discovery Walk in Jasper National Park, I believe, will very quickly become an iconic Canadian tourism experience, one that celebrates our natural heritage and provides visitors with breathtaking and educational interaction with our pristine wilderness.” 

Parks Canada’s approval of the environmental assessment means Brewster, who proposed the project in January 2011, can now move ahead with lease negotiations and construction agreements for the walkway at the Tangle Ridge viewpoint on the Icefields Parkway.

But with the approval also come some stipulations from Parks Canada, including upgrades to two other viewpoints on Tangle Ridge hill, so visitors who don’t want to take part in the Discovery Walk have another place to take in the view.

The bus and tourist-attraction operator will also have to develop a mountain goat monitoring program with Parks Canada to ensure that the goats are not negatively affected both during and after construction. There will also be limitations on when blasting and other construction can take place during kidding and lambing season, so that there is less disturbance to the animals.

“One of the next steps is to detail out what a monitoring program would look like, with a focus primarily on mountain goats because most of the other potential environmental consequences are either mitigable or very insignificant,” said Fenton.

The hope of Brewster and Parks is to have the construction begin this summer, he said. That would ensure the work could be done in one season, rather than two. 

Despite the hope, Fenton acknowledged that there is still a lot of work to do before construction can begin.