Banff

The Banff Bears rugby men got the big game they needed with their season teetering on the line. The Bears defeated the Calgary Rams 30-19 last Saturday (Aug. 10).

The Banff Ave. pedestrian zone vote led to the largest turnout for its eligible voters with 2,523 heading to the polls, surpassing previous participation in municipal elections dating back to 1989.

“It is really special because it shows how far we’ve come and accomplished from playing in Canmore and then being able to go all the way to [Player Development League],”

“We know more needs to be done to find solutions to traffic congestion with Parks Canada and we will continue to advocate for that support. We cannot add more roads within our townsite, so we’re going to have to look at ways we can reduce vehicles coming into Banff, while we still welcome people from across Canada and the world.”

All can agree the plebiscite was a successful expression of democracy in the mountain town.

The vote gives a definitive answer to the zone’s future, which has become a significant issue in the townsite.