Banff

An outdoor skating rink at the Fenlands expected to open this week, with plans for another outdoor ice surface moving forward at the train station in the New Year.

PHOTOS: The past week in photography in the Bow Valley

“This pack has been quite secretive all summer and into fall compared to their usual habits and they’ve been rather wary, which is a really good thing,” said Blair Fyten, a human-wildlife coexistence specialist with Banff National Park.

“Parks Canada has made a mockery of its so-called core planning values of transparency and science-based decision-making. “It needs to rescind this latest policy change, go back to the drawing board and give this issue the public scrutiny it deserves," said Reg Bunyan, vice-president of Bow Valley Naturalists.

“This gives us a chance to reach out to the community via our community plan and be sure this vision aligns with their vision."

Banff-based Liricon Capital Ltd. has partnered with Quebec-based Plenary Americas to submit an updated proposal to Alberta Transportation, Invest Alberta Corporation and the Canada Infrastructure Bank to move to the design phase of the proposed Calgary to Banff passenger rail project.

“People are going rogue and using the washroom in the forested area between the banks of the river and the trail,” said Chris Hughes, the Town of Banff’s director of corporate services.

Banff's governance and finance committee has tentatively approved a new municipal energy coordinator position and another large-scale solar panel array on the Fenlands recreation centre. Final decisions will be made at budget.

“I would like to see a rate increase… I see that there is a lot of potential for user-pay parking and this is an opportunity for our residents to be supported by our visitors,” said Councillor Barb Pelham

Banff town council has passed first and second reading of a bylaw that proposes a 30-km/h town-wide speed limit, but has postponed third and final reading until January 10 to give residents a chance to write letters or address council before it makes a final decision.