The Town of Banff plans to issue a public tender to paid parking suppliers as part of an investigation into options on how user-pay parking could be introduced in the tourist town to ease crippling parking and traffic troubles.
Administration plans to review how paid parking has worked in other towns, including resort communities, and look into the types of paid parking technology that could be a potential option in Banff.
A request for proposals will go out asking for an overview of technology, options for how paid parking could be implemented – whether a trial, seasonal or permanent – as well as an outline of costs and anticipated revenues from paid parking.
Town officials say the intent is to bring recommendations for paid parking to council in January, with the idea of beginning a trial in time for next summer should some form of paid parking get political support from the new council.
“We’re going out into the marketplace to see what technologies are out there,” said Town Manager Robert Earl. “We’ll come back with recommendations and options, and then go to public consultation.”
Banff is a town of about 8,200 residents for most of the year, but in peak times like the busy summer months, the daily population swells to up to 25,000, forcing RVs, buses and cars to jockey for limited parking spaces.
Studies show Banff’s inventory of about 1,400 on-street and off-street parking is about 125 stalls shy of what’s currently
