Trail maps and signage in the works

Many visitors to Canmore, including a major tourism marketing expert, have remarked that the trail system within the downtown core is a mystery – but not for much longer.

The Town of Canmore is planning a project this year to provide trail signage and mapping of the system of trails that connect to the downtown core.

Manager of planning Gary Buxton said currently there is no formalized way for visitors to know where trails are, how they connect with the downtown core, or where they go.

“This will help (visitors) use the trail network,” he said.

The project to provide comprehensive signage on designated trails in the valley bottom and also create a single map of trails geared to visitors has $43,000 budgeted for it in the 2012 capital budget.

However, at the same time, the Town is considering in the long term an overall signage project for Canmore. Buxton said administration wanted to move forward on this project first after a presentation from tourism marketing expert Roger Brooks last fall.

Brooks and his wife spent several days in Canmore as first time visitors and then made a number of suggestions to improve the town for those who are not locals.

That included trail signage out of the downtown core. Brooks said he and his wife wanted to take a walk, but had no information either in map form or at trailheads about where trails go, so they did not venture onto one of Canmore’s greatest assets.