Banff Parking Proposal

Nov 21, 2019 8:10 AM By: Alana MacLeod

BOW VALLEY – Paid parking proposals are on the table for downtown Banff and Canmore as both communities continue to grapple with parking pressures and traffic troubles in the face of growing visitation.

Town of Canmore administration is recommending moving forward with paid parking in the town centre in June 2020 to manage traffic congestion and fund free public transit, while the Town of Banff is kicking off its public engagement process this week on its paid parking proposals.

Under the proposals, both communities have come up with a residential parking permit system.

“It’s not intended to be onerous on the residents. We’re actually trying to come up with solutions that make residential life easier,” said Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen.

“Traffic congestion and the impact of having four million visitors each year – with many driving around Banff looking for parking – continues to affect us all.”

Paid parking was pitched in Canmore’s 2018 integrated parking management plan and has been a controversial topic in Banff for the better part of the last two decades.

Banff’s proposal includes user-pay parking in the downtown core, maintaining free parking on the periphery of downtown, and adding a resident parking permit system to protect spaces in front of homes.

Canmore’s paid parking proposal also calls for a residential permit system. Tourists could still park there for a fee, but residents would be able to register two vehicles to a property in the town centre for free, while any additional permits would be available for $100 for two years.

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Whistler and the city of Victoria are launching pilot projects to make local transit free for secondary students.

In Whistler, the students will be provided free bus passes for the Whistler transit system early next year, while Victoria will give youth bus passes beginning next month.

Whistler’s plan will be funded by increasing the cost of monthly parking passes in day lots 1, 2 and 3, according to a news release from the Resort Municipality of Whistler.

Passes for monthly parking passes will increase by $10 to $60 dollars a month.

Whistler Mayor Jack Crompton says he encouraged students at the climate rally to take the bus, and so this plan will help them get out of their cars.

“I want to see our ridership numbers increase so that we are forced to put more buses on the road and increase our transit service hours. Getting more people out of private passenger vehicles and onto transit is a major climate action goal here in Whistler and I know that our high school students can lead the way by taking transit,” Compton said in a statement.

Whistler’s Family Transit Program already allows up to three children under the age of 12 to travel for free for each fare-paying adult.

Crompton said making the switch directly helps reduce the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Whistler.

Whistler did not specify a date for the pilot to start but said it would begin in early 2020.

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MEGAN ROTH May. 7, 2019

Sylvan Lake is gearing up for another busy tourist season, and that means visitor pay parking will soon begin.

Pay parking is in effect in Sylvan Lake everyday from May 15 to Sept. 15. Visitors to Sylvan Lake pay $2 per hour, $10 per day, or have the option of purchasing a seasonal pass for $126.50.

Residents of Sylvan Lake can register their vehicle online for free to avoid paying when heading to the beach with their family.

Each household can register up to four vehicles. Those who registered their vehicles in 2018 do not have to register them again this year, unless they have moved or bought a new vehicle.

The only change to the 2019 pay parking season is the addition of a new resident-only parking area.

The area north of 33 Street has been included as resident-only parking at the request of those living in the area.

According to a report to Council in November 2019, residents in that area find it difficult to navigate the streets and find parking near their homes due to an increase in visitor parking, specifically in July and August.

Town administration told Council some residents found visitors were parking on their lawns or in the ditches in the area.

Both residents and visitors are reminded that on-street parking is limited to three hours. This is to ensure businesses in the downtown area have parking for customers throughout the day.

There are three free parking lots downtown, as well as the three pay parking lots along Lakeshore Drive.

This is the third year for paid visitor parking in Sylvan Lake. In 2018, the program brought in $248,382 in revenue.

July and August are the busiest months, according to the revenue generated per month.

More information about the paid parking program can be found on the Town’s website, www.sylvanlake.ca