How 'garbage bears' meant trouble for business in Banff
2 defendants accused of not securing trash in 1981 court case
Hungry bears didn't have to look far for something to eat in the Rocky Mountain town of Banff, Alta., and it landed two local business owners in court in 1981.
Forty times the previous summer, Parks Canada had gone to the trouble of relocating one "garbage bear" at a time, taking them by helicopter from the townsite to a more remote location.
But often, that wasn't enough.
"Many of the bears return to the valley floor and their bad eating habits," said CBC Calgary reporter Barbara Truman.
Waste disposal on trial
"Last spring, Parks Canada got tougher garbage regulations," explained Truman. "It started to clamp down on businesses that don't their garbage in bear-proof enclosures and containers."
The Clock Tower Village Mall and The Caboose restaurant had been charged with violating those rules, and in February 1981, that landed the two local businesses in court.
The mall's ownership had put a bear-proof bin out back — but as Truman's report showed, its lid was missing.
Nevertheless, said Truman, a provincial court judge had ruled that both businesses had "done all that could reasonably be expected of them" to follow the regulations.
An official with Parks Canada was "disappointed" with the decision.
Back to the drawing board
"We'll just have to look at the judgment that was handed down and see where our weaknesses are and take ... corrective action," said assistant superintendent Tom Ross.
He said the parks department had tried spreading the word about responsible garbage disposal and asked wardens to talk to people about cleaning up their act.
But change was proving difficult.
Since being issued a fine of $350, a local Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet had enclosed their bin in plywood. But the door lay on the roof, exposing the bin to any passing critter in search of a meal.
