Editor: My wife and I, for our 34th anniversary, visited Banff/Lake Louise this past weekend (July 8-11).
I had been to Banff on a business trip approximately 10 years ago, and fell in love with the area. Because I was then on business, I had but one afternoon to explore your town. I was amazed at the breathtaking scenery and delighted at the hospitality I was afforded. I knew that a return trip with my wife was a must.
We were not disappointed. Even though we stayed just a few days, we had a spectacular visit. Even had a chance to see my wife get on the back of a horse and ride the trails through Banff.
Outstanding and rare. As you might guess, we are getting on in years and greatly appreciate every moment. And what a beautiful part of the world. We seriously considered a return trip with the grandkids.
We did have one bump on our visit; we got a parking violation (100136496H). Ouch. Clearly our fault. The officer was just doing his or her job as instructed. We parked our rental in a bus lane.
True enough, we didn’t see the clearly marked sign (it was blocked by a bus and a parked car). Just didn’t think to look. I was speechless at the fine. Seventy-five dollars seems extremely excessive and exorbitant, even for Chicago (our home).
We appealed, but the very nicely rehearsed form letter offered no comfort. It did offer a gentle warning that if we did not pay the fine, the vehicle’s owner would be notified and a court date arranged in Canmore. Clearly, this is standard practice for the protective services of Banff.
A couple of obvious things are inappropriate here. It is clear that the car was a rental and we are out of town guests to Banff. As indicated in the form letter, failure to pay will result in notification of the vehicle’s registered owner (thus incurring a hefty “administrative fee” issued to the renter of the vehicle by the car rental agency). How generous to offer a court date when knowing it is a car rental and that no one is going to appear. Nice set up.
Safe to say, this is not a wise way to increase Banff’s revenue base. It is, however, a very good way to poorly treat your guests. Sure, we parked in a place designated for buses. We were in the wrong. No contest there. A first time offence for out of town tourists should not, however, be levied with such a harsh and utterly inflexible penalty.
Tickets can be waived. Warnings can be issued. Fines can be reduced. There are many flexible options. We all know this. What this clearly suggests is a fundamental lack of interest in public relations. It does send a very clear message: don’t come back.
I’m extremely disappointed in the utter lack of compassion your town offers to its revenue-generating tourists. A simple warning would have sufficed and solved the problem. This is a most regrettable experience which I will not hesitate to share socially.
What was a very pleasant experience is now a tainted memory.
I would strongly suggest that you revisit with the department of protective services their policies and programs on minor traffic control issues. It currently reflects very poorly on your town and its future revenue-generating potential.
Dr. Evan Stubbs,
Nashville Worth, IL.
