LAKE OF THE SPIRITS, AND LOTS OF HISTORY
BY JACKIE GOLD SPECIAL TO THE CRAG & CANYON
The Stoney people called Lake Minnewanka "Minn-waki"or " Lake of the Spirits," as they respected and feared this lake for its resident spirits. Despite the fact that early Europeans referred to the lake as Devil's Lake , it has reverted to a modified version of its original name.
Though many settlers were aware of the Natives' belief that the lake was home to spirits they did not let it stop them from enjoying the area. Indeed for some the idea may have added to the mystery and allure of the lake.
When the Beach House, a hotel, was built on the shores of Lake Minnewanka it was the beginning of a resort village that spanned 53 years. The village of Lake Minnewanka began in 1888, with wharves, cottages and restaurants springing up along the shoreline.
Two cruise boats, called the "Lady of the Lake ," and “Daughter of the Peaks" offered tours of the lake to tourists wishing to experience the beauty of the area from 'a more interesting vantage point, while others took in the scenery from the shore.
The original town consisted of three streets and four avenues, with a host of buildings clustered in amongst the streets. In 1895 a dam was created on Devils Creek in attempts to improve Lake Minnewanka 's shoreline. This began a series of dam building efforts over the next 30 years, which would eventually lead to the demise of the village.
A second dam was built in 1912 by Calgary Power Co. to store water for a downstream power plant. It worked, possibly better than expected, raising the water level of the lake 12 feet, and forcing the community to move to higher ground, as the raised water levels partially submerged many of the buildings. After noting the raised water levels the government built a new bridge to span Devils Creek to ensure that the original road from Banff to Minnewanka was maintained.
Eleven years later, in 1923, the government built yet another dam, and the Cascade Power Plant, this time not to ensure water conservation, but to supply the town of Banff with electricity. Over the next 19 years or so a struggle broke out between those interested in developing areas of Banff for industrial purposes and those wanting to conserve the natural beauty of the area. The Natural Parks Act of 1930 was put in place to ensure that no industrial development would take place in Canadian parks.
With the outbreak of war however, pressure was on the government for natural resources, and with that in mind, it granted Canadian Power Company's petition to once again dam Lake Minnewanka to help supply energy for the war effort and southern Alberta. The agreement went through under the War Measures Act, which temporarily suspended the 1930 National Parks Act.
By 1941 construction on the lake had begun, with eventual creation of a dam, causeway, powerhouse, wood stave pipeline and surge tower. The previous power plant, the Cascade Power Plant, was abandoned, and the lake rose 30 metres, flooding the townsite, the 1912 dam and the bridge at Devils Creek.
Since the flooding of the village in 1941 the lake has attracted an even larger crowd of tourists than it did in the years when the village was intact. Boat tours still take place on the lake, showing tourists the remarkable beauty of the area, while filling them in on a little known piece of Banff National Park history.
An additional side effect to the flooding of the village is the number of scuba divers that flock to the area each year.
With 16 major sites for divers to explore, the area is a mecca of history submerged in a watery grave. Though the buildings have deteriorated down to their foundations, divers still enjoy exploring the unique area. Each building or site is marked with a buoy, and each is submerged at a different depth along the lake's bottom. Divers are cautioned to beware of the high elevation levels and some of the more dangerous sites for diving, to ensure their safety. A brochure provided by Banff National Park provides in-depth information for divers, including safety warnings of individual dive sites and a map of the area.
Brewsters Tours offers coach services to Lake Minnewanka where boat tours are offered in the warmer months, generally between mid-May, and September. For more information on tours to Lake Minnewanka visit www.brewster.ca. <<back |
