Editor:
Many Banff residents contributed to a Town of Banff quality of life survey this past year.
I dutifully shared my opinions – many of them positive – on a long list of subjects, but, strange to say, I can’t remember a single question about what impact the plethora of “special events” has had, or continues to have, on my personal quality of life.
So I’ll say it now. On weekends when marathons, bike fests, concerts in the park, GranFondo, skins games, etc., etc., roar into Banff with the attendant swarms, my quality of life plummets to zip.
It appears as though we locals have three choices: participate or cheer from the sidelines; sneak out of town in the wee small hours or cower in our corners, waiting for the all-clear to sound. Some choice.
So mayor and council and Parks Canada CEOs, listen up! Don’t you want anyone – human or animal (that means real wildlife, not animal companions or party animals) – to actually live here? Clearly, we locals are simply not welcome in Banff Lake Louise Tourism’s raucous “vision” of how things must be from here on in.
And all this within the boundaries of Canada’s first national park.
Where’s the leadership here? Is Parks Canada dead and gone, or just bound and gagged, pending a real change in government via the next election?
Please, please, bring it on.
Shirley Truscott,
Banff
