BANFF – More than $500,000 in trail lighting upgrades are going ahead this year.
During budget deliberations, Councillor Peter Poole was unsuccessful in his attempt to convince his council colleagues to defer the grant-funded project until at least 2023, arguing it’s not necessary to light all trails in a mountain park community.
He said the Town could offer free headlamps instead to those who want safe lighting at night, rather than spending $500,000, and associated ongoing operational costs, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I would like to promote a sense of self-sufficiency, not an urban atmosphere complete with light pollution,” Coun. Poole said.
“This is something in a mountain culture community that is a nice-to-have, not a need-to-have.”
Banff’s 2015 trails master plan recommended the Town consider lighting primary multi-use trails in response to public feedback that a lack of lighting was one of the top three barriers to using trails more often for active commuting.
Design has been completed for two priority areas – a 200-metre section along the Bow River between the vehicle bridge and pedestrian bridge, and a 30-metre trail connection between the south end of the pedestrian bridge and Glen Avenue.
The work was postponed until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however stimulus funding from the province of Alberta means the two lighting projects can go ahead this year.
The grant funding will also cover lighting at Central Park, including for the planned new pedestrian bridge between Central Park and the recreation grounds due to get underway later this year.
Coun. Corrie DiManno was quick to voice strong support for the project, which has been on the books since 2018.
“Trail lighting is so important to getting folks walking more, particularly in winter, and for them to feel safe at all times of the year,” she said.
Coun. DiManno said Coun. Poole’s suggestion for headlamps reminded her of a council decision to offer rebates for ice traction devices for shoes, such as Yaktrax, instead of ramping up sidewalk clearing.
While that program has proven successful, she said this is higher level.
“It goes back to everything we’ve always talked about in terms of safety, whether it’s wildlife, or from other humans. I know females feel safer when walking where there are lights,” Coun. DiManno said.
“We’ve heard that from the RCMP and as well we’ve heard from the RCMP that nefarious activities tend to not happen if there’s more lighting around."
Chris Hughes, the Town of Banff’s director of corporate services, said the Town can’t defer the provincial Municipal Stimulus Program grant beyond 2021.
“To defer this project by two years would mean we would have to fund it ourselves, notwithstanding the operating impact that Coun. Poole did mention,” he said.
Coun. Poole said he was also concerned about what he called legacy costs, which he said often amount to, on an annual basis, one tenth the initial capital costs.
“The cumulative effects trouble me,” he said. “It’s not the first project that causes the burden; it’s the 21st project plus the 20 that came before that combine to be a burden.”
