CANMORE – A decision on the next stages for Canmore’s redevelopment plan will wait a little longer.
Canmore council unanimously voted to postpone second and third readings following conclusion of a public hearing on Tuesday (May 6), which provided more than 1,300 pages of written submissions and roughly four dozen speakers give feedback over several hours.
“We’ve been given a lot to think about today. We’ve been given a lot to think about through the written submissions and I know each of us had various thoughts through our own readings,” said Mayor Sean Krausert, who brought the motion to postpone the matter to a special council meeting May 27.
“I know, for a fact, there’s probably at least seven to 10 amendments. … We’re just not prepared to deal with this today, nor should we.”
People who spoke against the plan or aspects of it raised concerns about changes to parking, density, loss of views and a year-round pedestrian zone, but also highlighted the potential that density could bring, the importance of the arts in the community and the positives that additional green space will give residents and visitors.
Edmund Ong, chair of Bow Valley Climate Action (BVCA), said the organization had hoped for some areas to be more bold; however, he realized council needs to find a balance when addressing all feedback from the community.
Ong noted land use policy has “deep and long-lasting effects” in addressing climate issues and the downtown area was a gap – as of now – in the Town’s mode shift goals. He added BVCA had hoped for higher density, but understood the need to address all community concerns.
“We recognize and support that need to strike a balance,” he said.
“Overall, this ARP sets a solid foundation for development in our community. This is a meaningful step forward for our linked goals of community, affordability, climate adaptation and climate mitigation.”
Gradey McMahon, executive director of the downtown Canmore BIA and the organization whose membership could be most impacted by any change, said its members were concerned about a permanent pedestrian zone on Main Street, but are open to hybrid solutions such as a seasonal or temporary closures, events and festivals.
He said a phased approach with an economic impact evaluation “would benefit downtown business owners whose livelihood is dependent on a thriving downtown core.”
“It is imperative the final design accommodates the needs of both pedestrians and vehicles to ensure seamless access and circulation in downtown,” he said. “A balanced approach that integrates flexible use of spaces will benefit the community, preserving the accessibility and economic vitality of Main Street.”
While many of the letters submitted came from the framework of a form letter, several of them were modified to address specific parts of the plan they supported or opposed.
Renee Meggs, a downtown business owner, said it was important for people to express their opinions.
“It should help you make a balanced decision based on the many groups that will be impacted by the ARP such as locals, regional users, regional staff, regional owners, business owners and visitors,” she said.
Though key issues such as density, parking and green space were prominently mentioned in nearly all presentations, the importance of arts and culture was a key theme.
Several speakers highlighted the important role a place such as artsPlace has in bringing and fostering community.
Jeremy Elbourne, artPlace’s executive director, said he supported the plan, particularly for its commitment to “embedding arts, culture and heritage in the vision for our downtown.”
He noted the plan didn’t consider art and culture as an afterthought, but rather a key cog in a fulsome plan.
“More than entertainment, they are the quiet powerful foundation of community well-being. These events support mental health, foster social cohesion and cultivate civic pride. They make Canmore not just the place to live, but a place to love.”
Josh Cairns, the Town of Canmore's senior policy planner and lead on the project, told council the plan is ultimately a long-term vision for the region for the next generation.
He noted the plan “doesn’t enable any large-scale change,” but focuses on neighbourhoods evolving over the coming years. He added surface parking spots in the downtown are estimated to be worth about $30 million in land value.
“The ARP for the Town Centre is really at its core a vision to guide change and evolution in the downtown area indefinitely into the future, but for this plan we’re looking at a timeframe of about 25 years… a realistic time horizon for some of the improvement in the Town’s control to take place," he said.
In the draft plan, there are six core values and “10 big ideas” such as having Main Street be pedestrian-orientated, providing more housing options, using surface parking lots for other means and expanding connections to have the Bow River and Policeman’s Creek be part of downtown.
It has an implementation table listing 27 items, with six not expected to have a cost. Nine would come in at less than $100,000, five are estimated to cost between $100,000 and $1 million, and seven have price tags of more than $1 million.
The scoping for the downtown plan started in 2023, ultimately determining the plan would encompass the Spur Line Trail in the north, the Bow River to the west, Railway Avenue in the east and 5 Street to the south.
During engagement, the Town used online surveys, mailouts, a virtual workshop with community organizations, in-person means, drop-in sessions and pop-up concerts in collaboration with the Canmore Folk Festival.
The downtown ARP has been much discussed as a project for several years. However, it has continually been pushed back, most recently due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Town Centre Enhancement Concept Plan was adopted in 1998 and gave recommendations for the downtown to be brought in over a period of 15 years. Since then, several changes have taken place in the community such as the pedestrian zone becoming popular in the summer months.
The updated plan also removes Eklof Park from being used for residential housing and keeps its status as municipal reserve. The change comes after significant public backlash from area residents when the previous draft indicated its potential for affordable housing.
For housing, density bonusing will be allowed in select spots and the intent is to have mixed unit types throughout the plan. Minimum unit densities would be implemented and affordable housing is encouraged, while purpose-built market rental units should be incentivized.
In addition, the plan would add controls to limit new visitor accommodation, connect the downtown with the Bow River with new multi-use paths and expansion of Riverside Park.
According to the Town’s Integrated Transportation Plan, the plan follows the municipality’s mode share goals, with 40 per cent of trips walking, cycling or public transit and the remaining 60 per cent in vehicles by 2030.
An intercept parking lot is identified as key in reducing traffic and helping people get out of their cars and walk, with a possible location near Elevation Place, while existing surface lots are to be facilitated to “higher and better uses.”
Among key aspects for the vision in the downtown plan is a new central plaza for gathering, a new park along Policeman’s Creek, year-round pedestrian zone on Main Street, more diverse housing options, expanding Riverside Park.
At the launch of the public hearing, Krausert said while people may have different visions for the downtown on many of the components in the plan, he said everyone has the best result in mind.
“We’re all on the same side. We’re all wanting to create something that’s for the best of the downtown area. We may have different ideas and we want to hear those thoughts, but we’re all wanting to get to a place that’s good,” he said.
“Please know that council is listening.”
