Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin Site Removal – Public comments invited from April 8 to May 8, 2022

April 8, 2022 – Parks Canada must decide whether the proposed project Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin Removal, located in Yoho National Park is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. Parks Canada will be assessing this project using a Detailed Impact Assessment.

To help inform this decision, Parks Canada is issuing this notice of intent to make a determination and inviting comments from the public on the project's potential effects on the environment as the public consultation for this proposal. All comments received will be considered public. For more information on the public nature of your comments, individuals should consult the Privacy Notice on the Registry website.

In order to submit comments or request a copy of the draft Detailed Impact Assessment report, contact:

Yoho National Park/Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin National Historic Site
P.O. Box 99, Field BC V0A 1G0
403-497-4765
Noelle.Summers@pc.gc.ca

Comments must be submitted by May 8, 2022.

Parks Canada is planning to dismantle and remove the Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin (Abbot Pass Hut) in spring 2022. The hut is located in the high alpine of Yoho National Park on the Continental Divide. Removal of the stone hut is necessary to mitigate a significant safety risk after slope erosion began undermining the foundation of the hut in summer 2021. 
Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin was declared a national historic site in 1992 for its construction in the rustic design tradition and its association with outdoor recreation in the national parks. The hut has been operated by the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC) since 1985 and is a popular summer destination for hikers and a base for mountaineers planning to summit Mount Lefroy or Mount Victoria.
The building will be dismantled and removed from site by helicopter. Natural rocks from the structure will be scattered and returned to the environment. Some historic components will be salvaged and preserved for commemoration opportunities either on-site or elsewhere in the park. 

The rationale for selecting a DIA as the impact assessment pathway for a project is based on the following criteria:

•          Removing or destroying cultural resources on a national historic site that would have impact on the national historic site designation or regionally important cultural resource in a national park or national marine conservation area.

Scope of Assessment: The assessment will focus on the key valued components which are Cultural Resources (Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office), air, soil, and wildlife. The DIA will also evaluate impacts to visitor use and experience.

Document Reference Number: 1

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