Fuchsia Dragon | [email protected]
Trips up Whistlers Mountain on Jasper SkyTram could look a whole lot different in the future.
In fact, it might not be an aerial tramway at all, but a high-speed gondola system.
Jasper SkyTram Partnership Ltd wants to demolish its existing upper and lower terminals, move the upper terminal up the mountain 250 metres, build a new base area by Highway 93, and have a gondola system to take riders up the mountain.
Whistlers Road could be closed part-way up and the north face of the mountain reclaimed to natural land.
Dave Gibson, project coordinator who has been working on the idea for about five years, said: 鈥淲e would totally come out of the footprint of the wilderness and our carbon footprint would be greatly reduced with no buses or cars driving up there.鈥�
The current SkyTram, built in 1963 and opened in 1964, is reaching the end of its operational life - it needs more maintenance and is costing more to run due to its environmentally inefficient infrastructure.
Add that to the current lower terminal being in a zone two 鈥榳ilderness zone鈥�, the upper terminal 鈥榯oppling鈥� near the edge of the mountain, and roadways being too narrow for modern tour buses to comfortably drive up - it鈥檚 no wonder the operation has been completely reimagined.
Gibson said the concept is in place but they want lots of environmental reasons to go ahead with the project, and those reasons are stacking up.
The project could see improved wildlife habitat, restored creek flow and enhanced environmental education with a new interpretive centre at the base area.
The proposed new base area would be built at the end of Whistlers Road, opposite the campground and adjacent to Highway 93, on zone four 鈥榬ecreational land鈥�.
It could have an interpretive centre, restaurant, activities and additional parking.
Gondolas would leave the centre, go through a curve station to avoid going over the campground, and head up the mountain - the total trip being four times longer than it currently is.
Gibson said the proposed new design would be more economical, accessible and environmentally friendly. It could be a year-round operation and help fill Jasper鈥檚 tourism 鈥渟houlder seasons鈥�, as well as carrying at least three times as many passengers per hour.
The current SkyTram can carry about 200 passengers per hour. The new gondola system, which could see eight gondolas spaced along the line, would start with 600 passengers per hour and could go up to 950 per hour.
鈥淚t could be great for the local economy,鈥� said Gibson.
The plan is in its conceptual phase. Project leaders are meeting with Indigenous groups and asking for feedback from the public on the idea.聽
鈥淲e are going to get one shot at this and we have to get it right and we want to be very respectful of the land,鈥� said Gibson.
Visit the Jasper SkyTram website to give feedback.
