Angle parking is to remain on the 100 block of Beaver Street – at least for now – despite pleas from neighbourhood residents to return parallel parking to the busy residential road.
Council will consider making angle parking a permanent solution, including a wider sidewalk, landscaping and emergency access points, during capital budget deliberations in January.
But area residents say Beaver Street looks like a “high density parking lot,” noting angle parking has led to increased traffic, noise, more garbage – including soiled diapers – and creates unsafe conditions for pedestrians.
“What you see is a bunch of cars jam-packed together,” said Marino DiManno as part of a recent council delegation. “We believe angle parking along the 100 block of Beaver Street is unsafe, unreasonable and unsightly.”
Angle parking on Beaver Street was implemented this summer as part of a pilot project to create additional parking for the tourist town, which is plagued by a seasonal parking shortages and traffic congestion.
According to the municipality’s research, there was an eight per cent increase in traffic volumes this summer in Banff over last year, and that on 33 days, there were more than 20,000 vehicles heading into town.
Other pilot projects this summer included adding turning lanes at the busy intersection of Buffalo and Bear Streets, which led to reduced westbound queues along Buffalo, but did little to solve traffic backups in the southbound lane.
Traffic signals at that location will also be considered during budget talks.
In all, 41 additional stalls were added to the town’s parking supply as part of various trials this summer, such as the angle parking on Beaver Street, Bow Avenue and opening spaces on Banff Avenue near the high school.
The initial intent was to create an additional 33 parking spots on Beaver Street; however, with the deletion of parking outside the United Reform Church, it ended up netting an additional 17 stalls instead.
Bus drivers entering the Mount Royal parking lot from Beaver Street have also raised concerns about the new angle parking layout, as the layout narrows the turning radius available to enter and exit the lot with large vehicles.
There have also been complaints the new angle of parked cars results in vehicle headlights shining into private residences.
“Overall, angle parking has negatively impacted my quality of life, my ability to enjoy my home, as well as the value of my property and investment,” said resident Kelley Ireland in a letter to council.
“Never in the past eight years have I felt so violated of my privacy or my right to a quiet, comfortable home. When parallel parking existed on the street, I had little if any concerns about privacy.”
Mayor Karen Sorensen said she believes angle parking has huge merit in Banff, noting it creates more spaces than parallel parking. She indicated she has heard a positive feedback on angle parking on Beaver Street.
“It would be interesting to know other than Beaver Street, or instead of, where else angle parking could go,” she said.
“I think seeing this come forward at capital budget is going to be where council determines what happens on the 100 block of Beaver. Clearly it’s not going to continue in the way it is today. It will have to have capital dollars.”
New Councillor Corrie DiManno, whose grandmother owns a house on the 100 block, sought advice from administration and legal counsel on whether she had a conflict of interest – and was told she has no pecuniary interest.
She said she has an open mind when it comes to making decisions.
“I feel it would be a disservice to the community to not share my firsthand experiences of the area and my conversations with many residents on the topic to the discussion.”
