BANFF - A move by one Banff town councillor to have Banff Trail Riders help pay for a $64,000 equestrian trail at Banff's recreation grounds is a non-starter. As part of Banff's $11.
BANFF - A move by one Banff town councillor to have Banff Trail Riders help pay for a $64,000 equestrian trail at Banff's recreation grounds is a non-starter.
As part of Banff's $11.4 million, 10-year redevelopment plan for the rec grounds, a new horse trail along Cave Avenue between the south parking lot and Sundance Road is scheduled to be built this fall.
Councillor Peter Poole unsuccessfully tried to convince his council colleagues to have administration negotiate, in good faith, a cost sharing arrangement with the local equestrian business, with backing only from Coun. Ted Christensen.
"It appears that we're subsidizing one single user group, which is something that many residents have told me they do not approve of us doing," said Poole, who also tried to have the project deferred during 2018 budget discussions to consider cost-sharing.
"We're providing a lot of taxpayer funding ... currently, this appears too much like a subsidy to one business and I'm dismayed by that."
Coun. Brian Standish said he could not support the move.
"This changing of the trail is our doing and the operators have no input into this," he said. "We're doing this for the benefit of the recreation grounds."
Mayor Karen Sorensen said now isn't the time to begin negotiating a cost-sharing agreement.
"At this point in the process, to start negotiating for cost sharing isn't appropriate based on the fact that this plan and budget for this plan has already been passed," she said.
Banff Trail Riders currently uses a multi-use trail that runs along the south side of the park from Birch Avenue to Sundance Road to move horses to and from its stables morning and evening.
The capital budget for the new trail is $64,000.
Town of Banff officials say the rec grounds redevelopment plan identified a need to relocate equestrian users off the grounds because the existing trail is to be taken out in future to accommodate other plans, including a seasonal skating rink, dog park, multi-purpose building and the sports fields.
"It is anticipated that with the amenity improvements and additions there will be a significant increase of use at the site and the relocation of equestrian users will reduce potential conflicts between user types," said Janice Carson, the Town's acting director of communications and marketing.
Robert Earl, Banff's town manager, said relocating the trail along along Cave Avenue between the south parking lot and Sundance Road benefits the rec centre redevelopment plan in general and equestrian users specifically.
"Should administration be directed to negotiate for a cost share of that and those negotiations not bear fruit, not moving equestrian use has negative impacts on how we could then continue to maximize the benefit of the rec grounds," he said.
"Currently, equestrians have use and thoroughfare of the existing path and my instinct is if we were unsuccessful in negotiating a solution, they would expect that to continue in the future."
The 2015 redevelopment plan for the rec grounds called for removal of the east ball diamond and cinder running track, as well as improving the skate park, rugby and soccer pitch, ball diamonds and tennis courts.
In addition, the plan recommended construction of an off-leash dog area, canoe landing, outdoor ice rink, toboggan hill, multi-purpose building, greenhouse, adventure play area and kids bike park.
The work is being undertaken in a phased approach. The new skate park recently opened and the official grand opening is in June.
