On July 22, 2008, the Banff refreshing project in downtown Banff was substantially completed. This work began in April 2007 and involved extensive road construction in the 100 and 200 blocks of Banff Avenue in the heart of downtown. On August 21, 2008, there will be a large street party and free concert to celebrate its conclusion; for this special event, the street will be blocked from 1 pm to 9 pm. All that remains to be done is two crosswalks - there will be traffic re-routing in the downtown during September 2008 to finish these off.
Background
In April 2007, the town of Banff began a major construction and improvement project going on in the heart of downtown Banff. Dubbed Banff refreshing, this project was spurred by the need to replace the hundred-year-old utility lines (water, sewer, etc.) beneath the 100 and 200 blocks of Banff Avenue, but also included major improvements to the streetscape of Banff, such as wider sidewalks, more outdoor seating, and improved landscaping. These two blocks of Banff Avenue were closed to vehicle traffic while construction was taking place. The project was scheduled to end in October 2007, but weather caused delays which required that the work continue into 2008.
Well aware of the concerns of both businesses and visitors, the town of Banff planned a number of measures to try to make sure that the experience was still a pleasant one, such as extra parking stalls, information ambassadors to help answer any questions, and guides to aid with traffic re-routing. They also had many new "refreshing attractions" for the duration of the project, such as street performers, special photo-op spots, and free collectible souvenir buttons.
Photo: Banff Avenue - Sept 2007
Photo: Banff Avenue - Sept 2007
