BANFF – Since Banff put forward its Trails Master Plan in 2015, nearly all the recommendations have been addressed.
However, one recommendation still in the works relates to trail lighting within the townsite.
With that in mind, Banff's governance and finance committee (GFC) carried a motion to direct administration to come to council with a proposed lighting policy.
It also approved a motion for administration to prepare a report outlining the lighting evaluation results for locations from the Central Park washroom to the Recreation Grounds pavilion trail, the Parks Canada administration grounds to Jasper Way Trail, Antelope Lane to Tunney Mountain Road Trail and Section C of the Royal Canadian Legion to Muskrat Bridge trail.
The lighting of primary multi-use trails was encouraged to increase the use of the trails throughout the year, including the winter months when daylight hours are short. Three barriers were outlined for the lack of use of some Town of Banff trails, which were weather, lack of grooming and maintenance, and lack of lighting.
Banff council instructed administration earlier this year to provide options for lighting on priority one trails that are not currently lit.
The committee was recommended to direct administration to return to a future council meeting with a proposed trail lighting policy and a report outlining lighting evaluation results.
“If we were to do this, do we have any idea of rough costing scope of this project?,” Coun. Hugh Pettigrew asked.
Amanda Arbuckle, manager of recreation services for Banff, said costs could not be determined at this stage.
“The intention would be we would do the evaluations and that would inform what the project costs would be based on the types of lighting required there.”
Pettigrew asked about the evaluation cost, which Arbuckle stated had no cost associated with it.
“We should have enough information with the lighting we have already installed for the pedestrian bridge,” Pettigrew said. “We have heard complaints that the lighting is not perfect and creates some low-lighting and blind corners. I hope your evaluation takes care of that notion.”
Pettigrew put forward a motion to postpone a decision until the committee's next meeting as more information could come out of the Banff town council meeting held later that day. Council voted later in the day to monitor and maintain foliage, but also have Town administration return with a report to add more lighting to the south side of the pedestrian bridge near Spray Avenue and the YWCA.
“I am wondering, in consideration that we do have more information coming this afternoon that is related to this, if it would be wiser to postpone our decision to the next meeting.”
This was not approved by the committee.
Coun. Barb Pelham asked if Parks Canada would contribute financially to the project, while Mayor Corrie DiManno asked groups like Community Cruisers be included in discussions.
“Through the evaluation process, we would begin discussions with Parks Canada and that would be one of the questions we ask,” Arbuckle said.
