Editor:
A recent editorial by Dave Whitfield suggested that we have all had enough on the Banff parking issue, and I’m sure we all agree. But an article written in last week’s paper regarding Canmore’s engineer manager, Jacob Johnson, has kept the door to the crypt open.
He suggests the best way to reduce traffic in Canmore is to force locals back onto their bicycles by deliberately not providing additional public parking for us, either now or in the foreseeable future. Gas rationing would also score high votes from the taxpayer.
I think what makes us all frustrated with these dim-witted ideas, is that they are brought forward without the basic compassion of common sense. Banff has squandered away thousands to study the problem and, based on the recommendations of an outside professional, conclude that paid parking will ease traffic and free up stalls.
To the contraire my fellow taxpayers. Locals and tourists alike will circle the town endlessly first and foremost to find free parking. Then, in their search of the Holy Grail, they will find themselves so far from town that they need to set their clocks back an hour.
So then, it’s back to the core, circling again and again. Spock would crack a smile at the illogical plan.
Visionary, forward thinking is the dire need of the day. The only beneficiary to the onslaught of summer tourists in either town are the local businesses. They should be charged a transportation tax to operate the moving of people and construction of parking lots.
Only 15,000 cars should be allowed into the town site during peak summer months. The remainder would park at the outskirts of town and be shuttled into the core by electric or hydrogen powered busses. From there, a network of trolleys would carry passengers to the Springs and the gondola. Guests with confirmed room reservations would be issued a town pass through their hotel and Canmore and Banff locals would also have town access passes.
Perhaps a $5 fare per person would cover one full day of ridership. Toll highways use a transponder to track vehicles entering onto a highway. The same system could be used to allow the entry of local or authorized vehicles.
With an ever increasing amount of events planned for both towns, I think it is prudent that Banff and Canmore work together to come up with solutions that can reduce the amount of cars and yet still enhance the visitor experience. However, the burden should not be placed on the local taxpayer, but rather on the tourists and the businesses they choose to shop at.
Benny Ryan,
Canmore
