BANFF – The Town of Banff is proposing to turn Bear Street into a pedestrian zone this winter, including the possibility of a skating rink, to provide outdoor activities and help boost struggling businesses in the COVID-19 era.
Given construction of Bear Street remains unfinished, administration will ask council for direction next Monday (Dec. 7) on the pedestrian zone idea, proposed to be in place from Dec. 27 to April 31.
Officials say providing outdoor environments where visitors and residents can physically distance is consistent with what was done on Banff Avenue this summer, as well as in tune with public health advice during the pandemic.
“That said, the line between creating an attractive environment versus an attraction is top of mind,” said Darren Enns, the Town of Banff’s director of planning and development.
Construction to turn Bear Street into a woonerf, or living street, will wrap up for the winter the week of Dec. 21, but the roadway won’t be paved as initially planned until next year.
With the crushed gravel surface, the municipality’s engineering department recommends limiting vehicle traffic as much as possible over winter to avoid frost being driven down, which could slow down the kick-off to construction in spring.
Enns said a pedestrian zone would create opportunities to increase business viability in light of the numerous impacts facing Bear Street, noting both COVID-19 and construction have hurt businesses there.
He said many businesses are frustrated and concerned about their viability heading into winter, noting that increasing visitation to Bear Street is one method to respond to these concerns.
“A temporary pedestrian zone during the coming winter months has the potential to provide increased animation on Bear Street, attract residents and visitors to the street, and to provide additional space for residents and visitors to physically distance and be outdoors during our winter season,” he said.
“It also represents an opportunity to invest in Bear Street’s commercial businesses after a summer of disruption and pandemic, and in doing so help with business viability.”
Administration has put forward a couple of options regarding vehicle traffic – eliminating all traffic or allowing limited access such as for users of two parkades, at the Townhouse Building and Bear Street Mall.
Should vehicles be banned or limited, there are also various options up for discussion about displaced parking, including parking spots for users of the medical services and other errand-type businesses along Bear Street.
“Restricting vehicular access also increases programming opportunities within the street area, whereas preserving vehicle access obviously requires space for vehicles to manoeuvre,” Enns said.
Administration has explored several options for the Bear Street surface parking lot.
They included a snow slide, curling sheets, ice sculpture garden, a rail jam or ski-snowboard trick course – but these were ruled out for various reasons, including Alberta Health Services’ advice in some instances.
Enns said the option most likely to succeed is a skating rink, modelled after the compact skating rinks found in urban centres such as European Christmas markets.
“A rink could leverage existing nearby assets such as ice skate rentals and could also offer opportunities for both observation and participation,” he said.
“A second rink in town would also help space out skating users between the high school rink and Bear Street.”
Commercial use of public space on Bear Street is also up for discussion at the Dec. 7 council meeting.
Administration suggests that outdoor retail be limited, but could be accommodated where space is available at a scale similar to Banff Avenue during the summer.
There are eight at-grade food and beverage operators on Bear Street – Three Bears Brewery, Wild Flour Bakery, Bear Street Tavern, Nourish Bistro, Banff National Perk, Saltlik, Banff Poutine and JK Bakery.
Enns said enclosed or semi-enclosed tents would not be allowed for these businesses, although pop-up shelters over services counters and bars would. Outdoor heaters and umbrellas would also be OK under the proposal.
In terms of outdoor seating, Enns this would be dependent on council’s decision on whether or not to close the road for vehicles.
“If the space is needed for vehicles or snow storage then the area possible for outdoor seating would need to be reduced,” he said.
“This is relevant only for food and beverage establishments at the north end of the street.”
Local businessman Mike Mendelman voiced strong support for the pedestrian zone.
He said he he believes it would be easy for the eight hospitality-based businesses to band together, perhaps by way of a committee, to come up with a simple plan to share in animating the area.
“An outdoor skating rink on Bear Street is about the coolest – literally – thing I’ve seen contemplated,” he said in a letter to council. “It would be the centrepiece of the pedestrian zone.”
Officials with Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, located at the corner of Bear and Caribou streets, expressed cautious support.
General manager Maureen VanMackelbergh said the hotel agrees Bear Street needs to be kept as pedestrian-friendly as possible, and was also glad guests still have full access to the hotel’s parkade.
“We would also like events to consider that fire pits, if that’s an option, are gas and not wood as we have had guest complaints last winter of the burning smell in their rooms,” she said in a letter to council.
“Also request that when events are being considered they remember noise levels at night for those guests who are trying to enjoy a quiet trip away in the mountains.”
Banff and Lake Louise Hospitality Association (BLLHA) representatives say this past summer’s pedestrian zone pilot project on Banff Avenue demonstrated how a new approach to people movement could support social distancing during the pandemic, while also delivering an enhanced and safe experience for visitors and residents.
“BLLHA believes the learnings from this past summer must be applied to inform future, more permanent pedestrianization experiences that support the aim of being a model environmental community,” wrote BLLHA president Trevor Long and BLLHA executive director Darren Reeder in a letter to council.
