Throughout its history, Banff National Park has been shaped by tension betweenconservation and development interests. The park was established in 1885, in response to conflicting claims over who discovered hot springs there, and who had the right to develop the hot springs for commercial interests. Instead, Prime Minister John A. Macdonald set aside the hot springs as a small, protected reserve, which was later expanded to includeLake Louise and other areas extending north to the Columbia Icefield
