A move to implement paid parking as part of the planned $7.2 million redevelopment of the Banff Recreation Grounds was narrowly shot down by Banff politicians.
At a service level review meeting on Monday (Nov. 30), council directed administration to bring forward the budget for the 10-year redevelopment plan to them at capital budget deliberations, slated to get underway on Dec. 7.
During the meeting, council voted 4-3 against a push by Councillor Ted Christensen to have administration investigate options for paid parking and transit service to the area once redevelopment begins.
“There are a large number of people from out of town who come and use that area and that’s all they use,” said Christensen.
“I would have no problem in having some paid parking in that area to help us reduce the costs of redevelopment.”
Christensen had the support of fellow councillors Stavros Karlos and Corrie DiManno, but could not sway Mayor Karen Sorensen and councillors Brian Standish, Chip Olver or Grant Canning.
Sorensen said she could not support the move, noting there is a process in place for the concept of paid parking in Banff.
“That involves a plebiscite in 2017 unless we have a shortfall of 150 stalls before that, and based on the results of last summer’s performance, I’m not expecting that,” she said.
“We have a process in place and I wouldn’t be willing to direct administration to look at paid parking in one specific area.”
Karlos said paid parking at the Rec Grounds, and potentially the Fenlands recreation centre, would have to be linked to transit services.
“We would have to provide an effective means of getting people to those facilities, which I have no problem with,” he said. “I believe transit services would increase use and experience, particularly at the Fenlands, which I do believe has a parking shortfall from time to time.”
Christensen said he has heard concerns from residents about not being able to park at the Rec Grounds.
“We have a specific concern from users who have a tremendous concern with parking there, particularly on weekends,” he said.
If it gets final approval in the capital budget, the $7.2 million redevelopment of the Rec Grounds will be carried out over the next 10 years, with the first phase scheduled to begin next year and estimated to cost about $2.6 million.
The 7.4-hectare Recreation Grounds site is currently home to a rugby-soccer pitch, three ball diamonds, two tennis courts, picnic areas, basketball court, playground, community greenhouse and temporary skateboard park.
Construction of a new skateboard park is slated for phase one of the redevelopment. The skateboard parks comes with an overall price tag of $1.1 million, including contingencies, and is a high priority.
The redevelopment plan calls for a 1,700 square metre skateboard park to accommodate some of the existing features such as the mini pipe currently popular with skateboarders, and addition of more features.
Phase two of Rec Grounds redevelopment is scheduled for 2018-19 and comes with a $1.6 million price tag. It includes a $751,000 replacement of the north playground and $306,800 for improvements to the rugby-soccer pitch.
One of the more contentious proposals in the Rec Grounds redevelopment – removal of the east ball diamond – is earmarked for phase three of the plan in 2020-21.
The ball diamond would be replaced with a fenced off-leash dog area and a seasonal outdoor hockey-leisure skating rink that is flooded in winter and left as an open lawn space in the other seasons.
Construction of a multi-purpose building and a toboggan hill are also in the plan for those years. The total budget for phase three is estimated to be $2.5 million.
Phase four in 2022-23 would see construction of a new adventure playground at a cost of $1.7 million. There would also be a children’s bike park and mini-skills course in that phase of the development.
The final phase of the development would include a canoe landing on the Bow River.
