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LETTER: Teepee Town tourist homes a good thing for Second Avenue

Editor: I have been a resident of Canmore for 30 years and have raised my children here.

Editor: 

I have been a resident of Canmore for 30 years and have raised my children here.   

I own a property on Second Avenue in Teepee Town and I know from experience it is not easy to buy your first home here, or even find a place to rent since day one in Canmore. 

I have owned and operated Chez Francois for 30 years and have had many challenges with finding accommodation for ourselves and our staff. 

The proposed changes to the Land Use Bylaw in Teepee town are positive. The density has changed from three-plex to four, and many more auxiliary suites are allowed. There will be potentially hundreds of more places once they are developed.   

I wanted to clarify a few things about the upcoming public hearing on Jan. 5. 

The question at hand is about one street that faces Bow Valley Trail.  Most of that street has allowed tourist homes for the past 17 years.

Town council has reduced that number to one per lot. This has caused many issues for a few of us who are in the middle of developing our old houses into something new and attractive. 

Tourist homes are not short-term vacation properties. They are often owned by residents who want to rent out their home legally. 

If you are going to participate in the public hearing, give it some serious thought before you do. There's plenty of information available through the Town of Canmore. 

Affordable housing will not significantly change because of a few houses on a small section of half of a street. 

For additional information there is an 89-unit multi-family apartment building that is being built near the Coast Hotel.

Sylvie Gregoire,

Canmore

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