Banff National Park is the most highly developed national park in the world. It is in complete disarray and has been overcome by development. Wildlife habitat has been destroyed by the ski hills, the Trans-Canada Highway, the CP railway, the Banff townsite and by many "wreck-reationists" that use the park as their playground.

The September 16th 1997 decision by Federal Heritage Minister Sheila Copp's to deny approval of the Banff Town council's Community Plan made sure that questions over the proper extent of urban development within this national Park town to continue well into the year 2000. Banff's Community Plan to guide overall growth, was developed through a two-year process of community input and consultations, a process that nonetheless left some businesspeople and many environmentalists feeling that their concerns had not been addressed. Opposition from these disgruntled groups undoubtedly contributed to the Minister's decision to send Banff's politicians back to the drawing board. (Beaubien, Elisabeth)

The Commercial and residential development within the Banff town site has been an emotionally charged i

The Beginning term of Banff's inaugural town council (1990-1992) was consumed with the development of a land use bylaw that the Federal government had laid out in a General Municipal Plan, prepared in the late 1980's. This land use bylaw set stricter limits upon the extent and nature of allowable development in the town site than had ever before existed. The revised Community Plan which the Heritage Minister rejected would have tightened these restrictions even further, amounting to an almost two-thirds reduction in the amount of new commercial construction that would have been legal within the town's boundaries. The potential 850, 000 square feet of new development this plan would have authorized nonetheless still unnerved many ardent environmentalists and long-time town residents. (Beaubien, Elisabeth)

Commercial interests in national parks may be the most outspoken stakeholders advancing their interests and perception of the future of national parks. However, they do not hold the majority opinion of Canadians who see a different future for national parks in Canada: one where ecological values are taken in consideration with human values.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Robert Page, Lock Harvey, Community Plan, Herald October, Sun October, Elisabeth Commercial, Heritage Minister, Rick March, Municipal Plan, National Park, national parks, national park, section page, banff national, development banff, heritage minister, beaubien elisabeth, calgary herald, community plan, october 30th 1999, edmonton journal, journal section page, edmonton journal section, calgary herald october, herald october 30th,
Approximate Word count = 1236
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)