BANFF – Bear Street will be turned into a pedestrian zone this winter, complete with a skating rink and outdoor restaurant seating, to provide outdoor activities and help boost struggling businesses in the COVID-19 era.
At a meeting on Monday (Dec. 7), council voted in favour of administration’s recommendation for the pedestrian zone to open Dec. 27 to April 30 given the $9.5 million road construction project remains unfinished.
Town officials say providing outdoor environments where visitors and residents can physically distance during the COVID-19 pandemic is consistent with what was done on Banff Avenue this summer, as well as in tune with public health advice.
“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 during 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 over winter to avoid frost being driven down, which could delay the start to construction in spring.
Officials say a pedestrian zone would create opportunities to increase support for businesses in light of the numerous impacts facing Bear Street from COVID-19 and the construction project.
Many businesses are frustrated and concerned about their viability heading into winter, and most councillors agreed with administration that increasing visitation to Bear Street is one method to respond to these concerns.
“We all know Bear Street has had a challenging summer,” said Councillor Corrie DiManno said. “I thought this could be a way to help build the attraction there.”
As part of the pedestrian zone, administration 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.”
Declaring a conflict of interest because he is a business owner on the street, Councillor Peter Poole left the council meeting during the debate and vote on the issue.
Mayor Karen Sorensen supported the pedestrian zone, but was concerned about parking for users of two underground parkades as well as for people visiting the medical offices on the street.
She initially argued against a $55,000 skating rink, saying she believes the outdoor restaurant seating and Christmas trees and potentially other animation provided by Banff and Lake Louise Tourism was enough to draw people to the street.
But in the end, after all of her council colleagues voiced support for the skating rink as part of the pedestrian zone, she conceded.
“Having just watched the Grinch on Saturday night … clearly this is going to pass, so I’m jumping in with you,” she said.
“You’ve created the dream for me now; the little toddler learning to skate with a hot chocolate in their hand.”
Coun. Ted Christensen voted against turning Bear Street into a pedestrian zone this winter, noting businesses are telling him they want access to their stores. But he, too, voiced support for the skating rink at the end of the lengthy discussion.
“If you can’t park on it or drive on it, you might as well skate on it,” he said.
Coun. Brian Standish, who is general manager of Home Hardware on Bear Street, was in favour of the pedestrian zone, as well as the skating rink, saying he didn’t want any vehicle traffic on Bear Street this winter.
“As a person who works on Bear Street, I would far rather have Bear Street back to normal by mid-summer than have to wait until the end of summer because we’ve allowed vehicular traffic,” he said.
“We have to look at the big picture and I think it’s short-term pain for long-term gain.”
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 – that can apply for outdoor seating permits.
Enclosed or semi-enclosed tents won’t be allowed for these businesses, although pop-up shelters over services counters and bars would. Outdoor heaters and umbrellas would also be OK.
To deal with the loss of parking on Bear Street with the creation of a winter pedestrian zone, users of two heated underground parkades will be offered parking at the Cascade Plaza at a cost to the municipality of $25,000 to $30,000.
In addition, council directed administration to explore methods to create parking stalls on nearby streets in order to accommodate customers of businesses and the various medical offices, with some designated as accessible spots.
Local businessman Mike Mendelman voiced strong support for the pedestrian zone.
“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.”
