If anything brings out the bright turquoise waters of Bow Lake, it’s the iconic red-roofed lodge that sits above it!
Initially established by Jimmy Simpson, a legendary figure in the Canadian Rockies, Num-Ti-Jah Lodge holds a significant place in Alberta’s heritage.
Simpson, a Scottish immigrant who arrived in the Rockies in the early 20th century, was a mountaineer, guide, trapper and adventurer.
In 1898, Simpson first camped at Bow Lake and vowed to one day “build a shack here.”
And he did, although it wasn’t until 25 years later that he built the first log cabin on the site, and he called his operation Num-Ti-Jah, an Indigenous name meaning pine marten.
A few years later, he opened the Num-Ti-Jah Lodge with six guest rooms.
Ten years later, he expanded to 16 rooms – that’s how it was until recently.
A New Life and A New Name
After the lodge closed over COVID, a group of mostly Albertan investors led by Bruce Millar bought the inn and set about restoring it, carrying on Simpson’s vision but with modern tweaks.
“There’s a group of us who had the passion to resurrect this place, restore it and take on the next line of stewardship that the Simpsons [had],” he told the Calgary Herald.
They started off by renaming the place to The Lodge at Bow Lake.
The lodge’s original name, Num-Ti-Jah, was not given to Simpson by the local Indigenous peoples, and the spelling was incorrect. In consultation with an Indigenous Elder and at the Elder’s recommendation, the new stewards of the lodge decided on the more descriptive new name.
Beyond the new name, the new owners made a few renovations, redid the infamous red roof, and installed solar panels.
Expanding the Footprint?
The new owners hope to go beyond the initial improvements and take the lodge to the next level. They have just proposed a redevelopment plan to completely revamp the whole property and expand the services they offer.
Their plans include expanding guest accommodations with new cabins mirroring the original structures on site, which have since broken down.
They want to install a hot pool inspired by Japanese Alps spas and a café/gallery to cater to the thousands of visitors who flock to Bow Lake daily each summer!
They also intend to build another new 18-unit building for accommodation northwest of the main lodge, but not everyone is happy with their ambitious plans.
Environmental advocates, including the Bow Valley Naturalists, have voiced concerns about the revamps potential impacts on local ecosystems, particularly riparian habitats near Bow Lake.
“The Bow Lake shoreline and wetland eco site is one more location under threat in Banff National Park,” Peter Duck, president of the Bow Valley Naturalists, told The Rocky Mountain Outlook.
“As with the rejected gondola and proposals for parking lot expansions onto natural habitats in Banff townsite, this proposal is an example of the tourism industry’s commitment to ongoing cumulative growth in visitation and expansion of human activity.”
Balancing Development and Environment?
Their concern is warranted, but the project will not proceed without overcoming many hurdles.
This future development would necessitate adjustments to lease boundaries, a process that requires careful environmental assessment and community consultation.
Jón Stuart-Smith, manager of land use policy and planning for Parks Canada’s Lake Louise, Yoho, and Kootenay field units, underscored the agency’s commitment to thorough environmental assessment.
“What we’re trying to balance is what was outlined in the OCA guidelines with what we know now in terms of that habitat,” he said.
“If there’s already a disturbed area within that 30-metre riparian area, rather than create a newly disturbed area, we would consider proposals to build within disturbed areas that may be within that 30m guideline.”
They may consider changing the lease’s boundary to no longer encompass sensitive areas and allow the development to proceed without disturbing critical habitat.
Despite regulatory challenges, Millar remains optimistic about the lodge’s future.
As detailed impact assessments are reviewed, stakeholders await Parks Canada’s decision, which could shape the future of this historic landmark and the Bow Lake ecosystem around it.
