The way things are going, our towns are going to look and work much differently than they have for the past few decades.
Because traffic and parking issues have worsened, and will continue to worsen, in both Banff and Canmore, we commend many of the initiatives our elected representatives and administrations have taken to deal with them.
But, for those who resist change, resistance will continue into the future – we’re certain of it.
The thing is, there are few people who won’t agree something must be done – in Banff to avoid endless circling of vehicles in the downtown core as visitors seek a coveted parking spot to better explore, and in Canmore where parking challenges and increasingly congested streets can pose gridlock problems.
Really, one need only spend a weekend in either town to appreciate the fact that something must be done to rein in everyone’s favourite mode of transportation, the automobile, in all its forms, from tiny sedans to massive motorhomes.
The difficulty will be in finding a balance between resident and visitor needs while keeping both towns manageable – and traffic moving.
A lot of time, effort and study has gone into how best to get people out of their vehicles and on foot, or on bicycles instead. However, not everyone is willing or able to simply forego their auto when in the valley. Parents with children in strollers, for example,are only able to go just so far on foot to try and explore a downtown core.
Seniors represent another group of people who are often unable to leave a vehicle behind at a Town’s whim, while those with severe mobility issues may find themselves shut out of a visit. Issues for resident seniors, of course, could be dealt with in the form of special parking passes.
And, as we’ve written in this space in the past and will again, cyclists often do themselves no favour by riding in a manner that riles drivers and pedestrians alike – often in a spectacular manner as they ignore rules of the road in moving on and off sidewalks, failing to use hand signals, not using any form of lighting in even the darkest months and ignoring bike lanes created specifically for their use.
At some point, improved traffic and parking is going to require buy-in from everyone making their way around our towns.
So, it’s now no surprise that items like a Bear Street woonerf is in the works for the 200 block in Banff, while a parking lot project at the train station should see many of today’s parking issues directed toward the perimeter of the town boundary.
In Canmore, we suggest holding onto your hats, folks, as the idea of paid parking is again raising its head in the former coal mining town.
This time, though, the possibility of paid parking is part of the Town’s management plan, which may also see incorporation of a number of timed parking zones, pending council approval.
And, based on many Banff residents’ opposition to paid parking in the past, going so far as to require a referendum on the subject, and last year’s Canmore residents who claimed instituting parking prohibitions hurt downtown businesses, we assume there will be some level of backlash.
There will be backlash because, despite pro bicycle and pedestrian administrations and councils, there remain those for whom the auto is the ultimate form of freedom and transportation.
Still, in the best interests of everyone, some degree of middle ground will have to be found between boosters and contrarians. In the case of Canmore’s plans, now is the time to have your voice heard at public engagement opportunities begin.
