BANFF – A $1.1 million redevelopment of Rotary Park in Banff is another step closer to reality.
Complete with a multi-use court for tennis, basketball and pickleball, which can double as an ice rink in winter, the new park on the 500 block of Banff Avenue will also include a new playground.
“We are building a facility specifically designed for the community with inclusivity and accessibility as the primary function of this,” said Dean Cooper, president of the Rotary Club of Banff.
“We rapidly managed to raise over $1.2 million in order to do it.”
Some of the funding for the new playground and park upgrades included grants from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation and from the Province of Alberta’s Community Facility Enhancement Program.
The Rotary Club has hired McElhanney Ltd. for design and future construction management for the park. Detailed design and permitting is ongoing this year, with construction expected between March and July, 2024.
Currently, the Town of Banff provides summer maintenance for Rotary Park, and town council has agreed the municipality will pick up additional year-round maintenance costs, increasing the budget by $14,600 in 2024, $87,300, in 2025 and $89,000 in 2026.
Council has also directed administration to enter into a five-year operating agreement with the Rotary Club.
The total estimated cost for Rotary Park development at this stage is $1,153,750.
Town of Banff officials say although the exact amounts have not been disclosed, the Rotary Club has indicated comfort with the current maintenance cost estimates and can meet the associated capital obligations.
Colin Harris, recreation initiatives coordinator for the Town of Banff, said because the project is at the conceptual stage, it is difficult for administration to develop a precise cost estimate for summer and winter maintenance of the park amenities at this time.
“The caveat is this is a best guess right now based on the information that we have,” he said during the June 26 council meeting.
“As the scope of what Rotary is proposing gets refined, those numbers on our end for operation costs could also get refined either up or down.”
Cooper said the Rotary Club is in discussions with the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation about maintenance costs associated with the multi-use court and its use as a winter skating rink.
“At this time, this conversation is still ongoing and there’s every intent for that to be carried on by them throughout the future,” he said.
“We did mention to administration that there is no expectation that the Town would be taking future maintenance of a hockey rink onboard.”
Mayor Corrie DiManno said she was pleased to see a three-way partnership with the redevelopment of the park.
“What the Rotary Club wants to do with this is really wonderful and it’s to be applauded … it’s great when you can see volunteer groups doing this work,” she said.
“The new park will give benefit to the community, kids playing there, visitors stopping there.”
