Recreation Facility Master Plan

Recreation Facility Master Plan November, 2013 1.1 Vision # 1.2 Introduction # 1.3 SWOT Analysis Overview # 1.4 Matrix of Recommendations vs. Plan Objective # 2 Indoor 2.1 Current Inventory # 2.2 SWOT table # 2.3 Benchmarking table # 2.4 Map # 2.5 Recommendations # 2.6 Matrix of Recommendations vs. Plan Objectives # 3 Parks and Playing Fields 3.1 Current Inventory # 3.2 SWOT table # 3.3 Benchmarking table # 3.4 Maps # 3.5 Recommendations # 3.6 Matrix of Recommendations vs. Plan Objectives # 4 Trails 4.1 Current Inventory # 4.2 SWOT table # 4.3 Maps # 4.4 Recommendations # 4.5 Matrix of Recommendations vs. Plan Objectives # 5 Playgrounds 5.1 Current Inventory # 5.2 SWOT table # 5.3 Benchmarking table # 5.4 Maps # 5.5 Recommendations # 5.6 Matrix of Recommendations vs. Plan Objectives # 6 Apendix 6.1 First Survey Results # 6.2 Open House Boards # 6.3 Second Survey Results # 6.4 Community Feedback # 1.1 Vision In Banff, Everyone Gets to Play Banff is synonymous with mountain recreation and natural beauty. well-connected trails, dotted with People come from around the world to explore the national park, hike, cycle, mountaineer, ski and camp. Residents are drawn by an active visitors“ and locals who leave their lifestyle in a small, Canadian community and the proximity to the world- class, protected mountain environment. vehicles behind to interact with the world around them Preserving and enhancing this experience, providing quiet spaces of respite and bustling areas that connect one to the environment, to ” the national park, or to the community – are key to achieving Banff ’s vision for the future: a healthy community and a place of inspiration, Throughout the decades, as Banff has matured and demographics enchantment and renewal. shift to more diverse ethnicity, as technology and trends change, the community has evaluated inventory, assessed needs and built upon the Recreation and leisure are woven throughout Banff ’s rich history. Faded recreational opportunities within the townsite. They provided feedback black and white photographs depict locals curling, skating or picnicking to Parks Canada on the opportunities in the national park, for both along the Bow River or posing in front of the Frank Lloyd Wright residents and visitors. They envisioned the future of a town with parks, designed Park Pavilion at the athletic grounds. Ski runs were cut into fields, trails, playgrounds and indoor spaces. Mt. Norquay in 1926, and hockey tournaments dominated the annual winter festival. Visitors enjoyed golf and swimming at the Banff Springs This recreation facilities master plan is the community’s latest evaluation Hotel. Fishing, hiking, boating on the river or on Lake Minnewanka or of resources and needs for the next decade. Led by the Town of Banff, hiking up Tunnel Mountain were all favorites. Sports moved indoors and the plan encompasses all the current inventory in the community, be became year-round activities when facilities such as the old curling rink it public, partner, private and neighbouring facilities. Shaped by Banff ’s and hockey rink opened. unique constraints and opportunities, it describes a future where all recreational facilities are used by more people, in more seasons. And it The sheer variety of recreational opportunities for all abilities and ages, offers the recommended steps to achieve it. and the choice of pace, is a keystone of Banff ’s tourism experience. It’s also the standard for Banff residents, and programs such as KidSport, The vision for recreation in Banff reflects the overall vision for a healthy Every Senior Gets to Play, and Sports Equipment Lending, ensure community and a place of enchantment: well-used facilities, accessible affordability and access. to all and adaptable to a multitude of uses; a thriving community mixing with visitors in a broad range of activities, year round; well-connected trails, dotted with visitors and locals who leave their vehicles behind to interact with the world around them. In Banff, everyone gets to play near their home. 1.2 Introduction This Recreation Facility Master Plan, developed to help achieve the Banff’s Community Plan, adopted in 2008, contains these recreational objectives outlined in the Banff Community Plan, and objectives for recreation facilities: form the future of the community’s parks, fields, playgrounds, trails • Improve the quality, quantity and access to social programs, and indoor facilities, began with a Town Council and staff workshop on recreation, education and cultural facilities. current realities and opportunities. • Implement an active living program that educates and encourages healthy lifestyles. Seven guiding principles were formed: • Build a system of open spaces, trails and parks that reinforce • Increase the use of recreational facilities, parks and trails (Banff connections to the natural environment. Community Plan objective) • Increase the use of Banff parks and trails. • Maximize municipal facility access potential; multi-season, day and • Develop and implement a town-wide wayfinding plan that is simple evening and graphically representative of our sense of place. • Increase operating cost recovery • Collaborate with partners to maximize resources and infrastructure • A comparable local inventory of facilities (including private and other available for community use. agencies) to other communities • Co-operate with other levels of government and agencies to achieve • A planned but flexible system of open spaces, trails, and parks goals. • Recreational facilities that also appeal to visitors and events • New Town indoor facilities will follow Municipal Sustainable Building According to the Canadian National Recreation Statement, published policy by the Interprovincial Sport and Recreation Council, “the basic role of the municipality is to ensure the availability of the broadest range It was generally agreed, that while Banff ’s inventory is already of recreation opportunities for every individual and group consistent considered good, over time steps can be taken to modify arrangements, with available community resources.” While municipal government retrofit spaces, expand partnerships, and better realize the potential of has a key role to play, it states, it is by no means the only provider of the recreational facilities in and around the community. recreation opportunities. As indicated in the Community Plan, non- profit organizations, other levels of government (locally the Canadian Rockies Public Schools (CRPS), The Banff Centre, and Parks Canada), and the private sector are significant providers in Banff ’s inventory of recreation facilities. a thriving community mixing with visitors“ in a broad range of activities, The Town’s position is ideal to serve as a coordinator to maximize use of existing resources, to lead joint planning, act as an information and year round programming coordinator, and to undertake an evaluation of recreation ” opportunities offered by all groups and agencies. well-used facilities, accessible to • Banff ’s community has seen hangesc to its multicultural make-up in all“ and adaptable to a multitude of recent years. More than a quarter of the people who have moved to Banff in the past five years came from outside Canada [Banff uses Census 2011]. Currently the schools have approximately 30% of their students from outside of Canada. Approximately 1,000 immigrants ” make up 12% of the population according to the last census that Beyond a healthy participation rate in traditional parks and recreation collected this data in 2007 (it is expected that this figure has grown). activities, Banff is internationally known as a service centre for outdoor In recent years, many have originated from The Philippines and enthusiasts including hikers, skiers, picnickers, campers, cyclists, and India. From the Town’s work with this demographic, there can many others. This Recreation Facilities Master Plan seeks to evaluate be differences in use of recreation facilities, physical activity & parks and recreation facilities within the unique context of Banff townsite unfamiliarity with facilities located in an outdoor setting. and its current (2013) inventory, which includes partner, private, and • Banff ’s montane climate with a relatively short summer season. neighbouring facilities. For discussion and analysis, Banff recreation facilities have been grouped Relevant and relatively unique considerations for this study have into Indoor, Parks and Fields, Trails, and Playgrounds. included: • The Town is wholly surrounded by the outdoor activity opportunities Public Consultation of Banff National Park. Public feedback was sought through media and three open houses. • The Town is spatially growth limited to just 4km2 by the boundaries Feedback was generated through an initial survey, and then a later survey set in 1998. Most land is now fully developed, meaning that specifically on the draft recommendations. recreational facilities and fields may need to redevelop, reconfigure, or become multi-use (seasonal or otherwise) in order to accommodate Facility inventory, data collection, community consultation, mapping, and new activities. report formatting were completed in-house by the Town of Banff. A • Due to the large tourism service industry, the town is demographically consultant helped to assess the current facility offering, analyse current young, with the 20-34 age group representing 40% of the population. and forecasted needs, and then recommend enhancements and steps to Many of these people work evenings and

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