Overview

Mount Norquay offers guests from around the world a unique mountain experience that showcases the beauty of Banff National Park. As the Park and Norquay have become more popular with local, regional and destination visitors, vehicle traffic has become a progressively difficult challenge to accommodate. This has led to significant congestion, diminished visitor experiences, and pressure on local wildlife.

BHA was engaged to explore the feasibility of a gondola linking the Town of Banff to the top of Mount Norquay. A review of the goals and objectives of the Town of Banff, Parks Canada, and analyses of the physical and ecological realities of the area led to the preferred concept for the Norquay Gondola.

As explored, the Norquay Gondola would connect urban amenities with mountain peaks, offering world-class skiing steps away from downtown Banff. It would reduce traffic congestion in the Town of Banff and on the Trans-Canada Highway, eliminating exhaust fumes and promoting a pedestrian friendly downtown core. Finally, it will decrease vehicle-wildlife conflicts and preserve the vital Cascade Wildlife Corridor.

Moving forward, Mount Norquay and BHA are working with the Town of Banff, Parks Canada and other stakeholders to further examine the gondola concept, ski area linkages, and gondola programming and design.