Banff residents vote against downtown pedestrian zone in plebiscite

BANFF, Alta. — Banff residents have given a thumbs down to a pedestrian zone in the community’s downtown, rejecting the idea in a plebiscite Monday.

The Town of Banff posted unofficial results of the vote on its website, saying 1,328 votes were cast against the town council’s decision to have a pedestrian zone on Banff Avenue every summer, from the May long weekend to Thanksgiving long weekend.

It says 1,194 voted in favour of the pedestrian zone.

Begun as a pandemic response in the summer of 2020, the mountain town has closed a section of the avenue to vehicles so people could safely enjoy the street full of shops and restaurants.

It’s been popular with visitors but some residents expressed concern about cars and trucks clogging up side streets.

The municipality says according to provincial law, council must pass a bylaw to rescind their original decision to have an annual summer pedestrian zone, and the next meeting where they can do that is Aug. 26.

It says on its website that pedestrian zone public amenities will be dismantled starting in the days immediately after the bylaw is passed, including removal of extra public seating, bicycle parking and flower planters.

Large planter barricades at each end of the pedestrian zone will also be removed once the bylaw passes, the website says, and the road will be reopened to all vehicles.

The decision to hold a vote was triggered by a petition.

The town says official results will be confirmed on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published August 12, 2024.

The Canadian Press