While summer in our Rocky Mountain enclave is often too short-lived, or sometimes lacking in what many of us would describe as “summer weather,” something we do have in abundance is sunny days.
Sunny days are what cause many residents and visitors to take to trails and scenic locations in the valley to see larch, poplar and other trees and shrubs lit up in glorious fall colours by the sun.
While oohing and ahhing at nature’s splendour at Hidden Lake near Lake Louise, for example, though, wouldn’t it be nice to know that, as you stand there admiring the scene, the sun’s rays warm on your back, they would also be providing power at your home while you’re away?
Such is the beauty of the solar power initiative and a very good reason for the Town of Banff to move forward with a project which would encourage residents and businesses, like the Town itself, to install solar panels on properties.
Actually, solar power incentives should be a valley-wide proposition as there are plenty of south-facing rooftops in our communities that could be affixed with panels. Solar is already in place at Banff Community High School and the Town itself has installed 72 panels on its Town Hall roof.
At the time of this writing, mid-day on Wednesday (Sept. 24), according to the town’s website the solar panels atop Banff Town Hall were quietly, cleanly, generating 4.1 kilowatts.
Some time ago, the Town of Canmore embraced solar by installing solar water heating panels on the firehall, Town Hall and Rec Centre.
In the end, some financial encouragement would go a long way to coaxing people into embracing solar and moving away from the coal-generated power Alberta relies on. For communities that see themselves as being green, assisting homeowners and businesses in going solar could only be a good thing.
Both Banff and Canmore view themselves as green, with less carbon footprint than many communities. Transit has been embraced, rebates for low flow toilets offered and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) construction embraced.
Solar power is a next logical step and one that could be viewed as yet another attractive feature of our valley communities (green tourism?). Banff, in using recycled materials and building to LEED standards in its Fenlands centre does get noticed. For example, when attending curling bonspiels or hockey tournaments, one will hear positive comments on the direction Banff took.
Letters to the editor
In recent weeks, the Bow Valley has been witness to some controversial issues that have sparked quite a number of letters to the editor.
Unfortunately, many of these letters have been far more lengthy than the 500 words we generally allocate (see below, at right) and have requested as a maximum length.
While we do appreciate the passion our readers display in sending us their opinion via our letters space, in future we may have to restrict or return some letters due to their very lengthy nature.
The letters to the editor space is designed as one where our readers can vent, voice, vindicate, vacillate or vilify (within reason). But it is an opinion space; we feel little is generally accomplished in trotting out lengthy background material, municipal policy, research, quoting of report clauses, etc.
In future, we’re asking that our letter writers opt for a little more brevity in stating their case or opposition.
