New visitor center open at Waterton Lakes National Park

Visitors to Waterton Lakes National Park will be greeted by the park’s new visitor center, which officially opened to the public Wednesday.

Located within walking distance anywhere in Waterton village, and close to the Townsite Campground, the new visitor center is part of approximately $103 million that has been invested in projects through the Federal Infrastructure Investment Program, supporting high-quality and meaningful visitor experiences and helping to protect the environment. Parks Canada’s administrative office has also moved to new facilities adjacent to the center.

“As cornerstones of Canada’s tourism industry, Parks Canada administered places provide visitors with high quality and meaningful visitor experiences and support tourism in communities across the country,” Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada Steven Guilbeault said in a press release. “This landmark project in Waterton Lakes National Park is an investment in the future that will welcome Canadians and visitors from around the world for years to come, providing them with opportunities to learn about the park’s environmental and cultural significance, including the area’s importance to local Indigenous communities.”

Open year-round, the new facility includes modern interpretive exhibits, interpretive programming and visitor information services. Exhibits highlight the area’s substantial biodiversity, unique landscapes and the forces of nature that shapes them, including wind and

Wildfire.

Featured exhibits include a nightlife theater with a looping animation highlighting Waterton Lakes stunning nocturnal wildlife and starry skies, a forces of nature looping animation and soundscape depicting natural forces in Waterton Lakes, including wildfire and recovery and two

biodiversity walls that show off the distinct ecosystems found in Waterton Lakes, including the alpine, subalpine, montane forest, grassland and aquatic ecosystems.

Parks Canada worked closely with Indigenous partners to ensure the materials developed reflect local Indigenous history, traditions, culture and connection to Waterton Lakes National Park. The park lies within traditional Siksikaitsitapi (Blackfoot) territory and Parks Canada Agency worked closely with Indigenous partners to ensure the materials developed reflect local Indigenous history, traditions, culture and connection to Paahtómahksikimi (inner sacred lake in the mountains), also known as Waterton Lakes National Park.

According to Parks Canada, the new visitor center has been designed to meet the present and future needs of Waterton Lakes National Park. It features an outdoor walking garden with interpretive displays and a large, open public plaza. There is public parking on site and inclusive, accessible restrooms.

The visitor center’s sustainability features include electric vehicle charging, a walkable location in the heart of the Waterton townsite, ample natural daylight, efficient plumbing fixtures, sustainable rainwater management, responsibly sourced construction materials, and more.

“The visitor center is a fun and engaging way to welcome visitors and introduce Waterton Lakes’ remarkable nature and culture. The visitor center has been developed to integrate effectively into the community of Waterton Lakes and be enjoyed by visitors as well as local residents,” Parks Canada said in a press release.