OPEN SPACE & TRAILS PLAN June 2015 Amended August 2021 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Canmore Open Space and Trails Plan is a product of the Planning and Development Department. We would also like to thank the fol- lowing Town of Canmore departments for their collaborative efforts and brainstorming assistance: Parks, Engineering, Recreation, Events, and Community Enrichment. Consultation with the stakeholders was also an essential part of the process. We could like to thank the following groups for their time and effort: the Trails Advisory Group, Environmental Advisory Review Com- mittee, the Human Use Management Review committee, as well as many of the members of Canmore’s outdoor groups, staff of Canmore’s out- door and cycling stores, and all of the members of the community who spent their time giving us feedback. We’re deeply grateful to all of you. 2. CONTENTS. 1. INTRODUCTION 4 1.1 PURPOSE OF PLAN 4 1.2 SCOPE OF PLAN 5 1.3 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT 5 2. CONTEXT 6 2.1 OUR COMMUNITY 6 2.2 RELEVANT PLANS 6 2.3 TRENDS 7 2.4 CELEBRATING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 7 3. OUR OPEN SPACE & TRAILS 8 3.1 PATHWAY & TRAIL NETWORK 8 3.2 OPEN SPACE 8 3.3 CHALLENGES & OPPORTUNITIES 14 4. TRAILS IN THE FUTURE 16 4.1 GOALS 16 4.2 CLASSIFICATION & PRINCIPLES 16 4.3 TRAIL RECOMMENDATIONS 19 5. OPEN SPACE IN THE FUTURE 32 5.1 GOALS 32 5.2 CLASSIFICATION & PRINCIPLES 32 5.3 OPEN SPACE RECOMMENDATIONS 35 6. IMPLEMENTATION 38 APPENDIX A. ENGAGEMENT WHAT WE HEARD 39 APPENDIX B. CELEBRATING OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS 50 APPENDIX C. IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS 51 3. 1. INTRODUCTION Canmore is defi ned by its Rocky Mountain setting; documenting aspects of open space and trails policy the jagged snowy peaks provide a dramatic backdrop in Canmore, there is no comprehensive source that for almost every outdoor activity. Having plentiful provides direction for the system as a whole. As a access to public parkland and a well-connected trail result, decisions regarding the development of open network is important to enable residents and visitors space and trails are often made through response to to enjoy and be inspired by our stunning mountain individual subdivision and development applications. setting. The Open Space and Trails Plan has been developed The importance of ensuring the health of our moun- in response to these concerns, and with the following tain ecosystem confers signifi cant environmental guiding principles in mind: responsibilities. Integrating the needs of both humans and wildlife is essential in determining the use of the • to provide opportunities to gather, play, and con- natural landscape. The maintenance and support of nect to our natural environment regional connectivity for wildlife movement is even • to provide a functional transportation network for more important than a well-connected trail system pedestrians and cyclists for humans. • to provide sustainable trails for residents and visi- tors that are accessible, easy to navigate, and suitable for a variety of skill levels and interests 1.1 PURPOSE OF PLAN • to respect important wildlife habitat and maintain wildlife connectivity within and beyond the Town A cohesive guiding plan is necessary for the develop- ment of a well-connected and functional space and Taking into consideration the current needs and trail network which is both an active transportation wishes of residents, visitors, and wildlife, as well as network, and provides recreational opportunities for anticipating future needs and trends, the plan makes users with a range of abilities. suggestions for future use and development of trails and open space in Canmore. Because our trails and Although there is a considerable amount of material spaces serve an ever-increasing number of users, 4. careful management of these resources is more es- residents. Through 2013 and 2014, further issues and sential than ever. opportunities were identifi ed by public stakeholders from a wide variety of interest groups as part of the Integrated Transportation Master Plan and Human 1.2 SCOPE OF PLAN Use Management Review engagement processes. These took the form of open houses, online surveys, The plan was created with the intent of building on and workshops. our previous successes, continuing our enjoyment of and commitment to mountain lifestyle and optimizing Internal engagement took place in early 2015, allow- the recreation experience in Canmore. We aim to ing all relevant departments to provide input on the provide clear direction to assist with future planning draft principles and proposed recommendations. of new areas, improvements to established areas, and linkages to areas outside the municipal system. Following extensive internal consultation, the draft plan was shared with public stakeholders in April – The trail network as covered in this plan includes all May 2015. This took the form of: a weekend open types of trails, from three metre wide paved multi-us- house at Elevation Place; discussion through social er pathways to rocky singletrack. Open space in- media, including cross-posting by various other cludes a variety of different kinds of spaces, from groups and organisations; focus group discussions playing fi elds to natural landscapes. These spaces with various stakeholders such as the Trails Advisory provide different recreational opportunities, but all Group; individual meetings with key stakeholders; and are primarily intended for human use. Structured the sharing of an online survey. recreation facilities are not discussed in this plan, but are instead covered by the Recreation Master Plan. All feedback was summarised in a ‘What We Heard’ document which has been shared with the public, and The recommendations contained within this docu- is included as Appendix A in this document. ment are meant to apply primarily to the trails, open spaces and amenities that exist within the Town of Canmore corporate boundaries. However, we feel that it is important to consider the context of the entire valley; hence recommendations are also made in relation to natural trails on provincial land. We do this because we feel that a well-designed trail and open space system must holistically consider the environment and network it is part of; and because we feel it’s necessary to acknowledge and embrace the importance of those trails and spaces to the resi- dents of Canmore. Only by working together can we create a truly fantastic open space and trail network in Canmore. 1.3 PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT The engagement process for the plan took place over several years. In 2011, an initial open house was held, followed by a community survey designed to capture the main areas of concern and interest for 5. 2. CONTEXT 2.1 OUR COMMUNITY by several guiding documents, namely: the Town of Canmore is a vibrant community whose residents Canmore’s Municipal Development Plan; Mining the value the benefi ts of open space and trails and for Future; Signposts to Sustainability; the Town of Can- whom recreational activity is integral to their health, more Strategic Plan; the Sustainable Economic Devel- happiness and sense of place. opment and Tourism Strategy; and the Wildlife Corri- dor and Habitat Patch Guidelines for the Bow Valley. Canmore’s trail network is the result of both cen- turies-old travel patterns and the foresight of com- Various planning documents were also reviewed. munity builders who have understood the practical, The previous Canmore Trails Master Plan (2007) recreational and emotional value of trails. We are and Open Space Development Guidelines (2005) lucky to enjoy a trail network with excellent cover- provided direction regarding trail network improv- age, with every home in Canmore being within 200 ments and strategic acquisition of open space. The metres of a trail. OSTP was also informed by the BCEAG Recreational Opportunities Working Group report (2002), which The importance of recreation, parks and open space made recommendations concerning recreational trail to Canmore residents was confi rmed in the annual development in the Canmore area. resident satisfaction survey undertaken in 2014. Of the respondents, 99% stated that parks, trails and The OSTP was developed in conjunction with the other green space within the town were “very im- Human Use Management Review (2015) in consid- portant” or “somewhat important” to them. eration of wildlife corridors and habitat patches. We reaffi rm commitments made in the Integrated Transportation Plan (2014) regarding encouraging the development of a well-connected active transporta- 2.2 RELEVANT PLANS tion network. The Open Space and Trails Plan builds on previous planning by the Town of Canmore. It was informed 6. 2.3 TRENDS 2.4 CELEBRATING OUR GROWTH ACCOMPLISHMENTS Canmore will continue to grow over the coming Since the previous Trails Master Plan was approved in decades. The City of Calgary is experiencing high 2007, the Town of Canmore has made good progress growth rates, and we can continue to expect large towards creating a more connected open space and numbers of visitors to our trails and open spaces trail network which provides a better user experi- from Alberta, Canada and around the world. ence for visitors and residents alike. The open space and trail system must be capable of Joining the fi nal missing link on the Legacy Trail be- supporting increased usage by residents and visitors tween Canmore and Banff is a prime example of one alike, without leading to the sensation of crowding or of these important connections. It was completed trail degradation. With increased usage also comes in fall 2013, with numbers on the trail dramatically a greater chance of human/wildlife encounters; this increasing as a result in 2014. issue must be handled with appropriate education and management techniques. EVOLVING TYPES OF USE • New and different - Existing spaces are constantly being used in new ways, as different activities develop or gain in popularity (e.g.