Private Grab of Public Land in Ghost Waiparous

Alberta Wilderness Association

An application by a private company to lease 160 acres of public land in the Ghost Waiparous is nearing the approval stage with almost no public knowledge. This is one of a growing number of such lease applications throughout Alberta's Eastern Slopes, with little scrutiny and minimal opportunity for public comment. AWA is asking the Alberta government to put all such developments on hold until its long-awaited land-use framework is completed.

Lazy H Trail Company of Cochrane has applied for a 99-year lease of 160 acres of wilderness public land for a private resort development that could cater to as manyas 600 people per day. The site is remote, on the north side of the Ghost River's headwaters, only about 6 km east of Banff National Park, near Lake Minnewanka. This precedent-setting attempt to grab a quarter section of prime public real estate through Alberta's Tourism Recreation Lease (ATRL) process could be approved without any input from the land's owners, the Alberta public. Read more »

Posted November 15, 2006 by russ