This e-newsletter is for residents, businesses and organizations who have registered for project updates.
 
If you know others who should receive this regular email update, please direct them to sign up at https://www.brandnewbear.ca/
 
For questions or comments, please email the project team at BearStreet.Talk@banff.ca.

Quick Overview: the week ahead

 
Pedestrian access to operating businesses maintained in all zones.
 
Zone 1 (at Caribou St)

• Traffic/intersection – closed 
• Parking – closed
• Pedestrian access – open on gravel pathways
• Activity – set up of temporary water services

• Traffic – closed
• Parking – closed
• Pedestrian access – open on temporary gravel pathways
• Parkade – closed
• Laydown area (surface parking lot) – restricted to construction crews
• Activity – set up of temporary water services
• Activity – demolition clean up

• Traffic – closed
• Parking – closed
• Pedestrian access – open with temporary pathways
• Parkades – closed until at least Wednesday, followed by temp access/intermittent closures
• Laydown area (surface parking lot) – restricted to construction crews
• Activity – set up of temporary water services

• Traffic/intersection – open
• Parking – closed
• Pedestrian access – open on temporary pathways
• Activities – set up of temporary water services

Construction Activity: June 7 - 13

• Fencing is moving to encompass demolition/excavation areas, rather than fencing the entire street, in order to maximize pedestrian movement and social distancing space for pedestrians.
• On-street parking is closed from Wolf Street to Caribou Street to ensure pedestrian safety and to advance construction efficiency. This situation will remain until the project is complete.
• The central area of Bear Street is closed to vehicular traffic for safety and to help accelerate the project.
• Fencing will encompass an area up to the Wolf Street intersection to complete the last major portion of the road demolition and removal. Sidewalk areas will be demolished adjacent to some buildings.
• The Wolf Street intersection, opened on Friday, June 5, will remain open to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
• The access to the underground parkades for the Brewster’s Mountain Lodge, Bear Street Mall and Townhouse Building will be restricted, but access may be restored later in the week.
  • Property owners and tenants seeking alternative parking options can use public parking listed at banffparking.ca or private parking in the Cascade Shops parkade (contact Martin Halliday, cell: 403-804-9400).
• The replacement of the underground utilities is planned to start on June 8 at the Caribou Street intersection.
  • Water utility replacement preparations includes the delivery of piping material, sand, and gravel within the construction area.
• Temporary water servicing connections are likely to start around June 10. Temporary potable water servicing will be provided to every building needing it.
• Water services will be disconnected only after notification of property owners, who are asked to inform tenants. Intermittent service disruption may occur.
• Caribou Street intersection is planned to be closed for a few weeks, starting June 15, to allow the replacement of the water and waste water pipes.
• We anticipate deploying one additional crew to help accelerate the project.
• Security lighting is in place. Extra caution should be used if the public needs to access the area at night.
• Expect road closures, sidewalk detours, vibrations, noise and dust.

• Website BrandNewBear.ca continues to be updated with project information and a presentation on the project. All reopened businesses and services will be highlighted on the site in the coming days. 

Assistance for businesses and services reopening 

Businesses and services must put in place physical distancing controls and other health measures, before they can reopen. Alberta Health Services (AHS) is actively monitoring businesses, services and public activities to ensure AHS guidelines are being followed. The following guides and assistance are being provided to all enterprises:

• Access the most up-to-date resources, reopening guidelines: https://banff.ca/Covidbusiness#Help and 
• https://www.banfflakelouise.com/members/reopening-guidelines
• Businesses are being offered weekly zoom meetings and access an interactive workspace by Banff & Lake Louise Tourism and the Banff & Lake Louise Hospitality Association (wanda@bllha.ca).
• The Alberta Biz Connect website outlines requirements for businesses allowed to reopen: https://www.alberta.ca/biz-connect.aspx

Attend an Upcoming Business Discussion on Safe Re-Opening Practices

A series of webinars are being organized to support businesses to safely reopen the economy in Banff National Park and two more sessions are scheduled.

• Is your business training staff on how to use PPE and respiratory precautions? Interested in getting best practice tips from an AHS expert? Or maybe you need to clear up general health and safety questions that the provincial guidelines can’t answer.
• Register now to join this reopening discussion. Submit questions in advance to wanda@bllha.ca. 

• Are you getting ready to re-open in Phase 2 of the province’s staged re-launch strategy? Or is there something you need to clarify for your business that’s already been open?
• Register now to join this reopening discussion. Submit questions in advance to wanda@bllha.ca. 

Businesses asked to showcase safety measures

All businesses in Banff are being encouraged to showcase their measures to keep staff and customers safe when reopening. The Government of Alberta template helps owners and managers identify areas to identify protocols: Template: Relaunch considerations for businesses.

Banff Avenue closure to affect Bear Street

As reported last week, the 100 and 200 blocks of Banff Avenue were closed to vehicle traffic on June 5 to create a pedestrian zone that provides additional space for pedestrians to maintain 2-metre distancing requirements in the busiest pedestrian area of Banff. (Details https://banff.ca/BanffAve)
 
The full closure to vehicles will include closure of Caribou Street between Bear Street and the alley directly east of Banff Avenue. Wolf Street will remain open for east-west traffic movement, only interrupted by Wolf/Bear Street intersection reconstruction periods.
 
Flaggers on Norquay Road and Banff Avenue will direct day visitors to park at the Train Station Public Parking, where signage will be installed to direct preferred routes to the downtown and Bear Street.
 
The Town of Banff is working with businesses on Banff Avenue about access to space in the pedestrian zone in front of their businesses. The Town is also going to establish kiosks for ambassadors to help direct Banff Avenue visitors to Bear Street. A number of rental businesses on Bear Street will also be contacted about pop-up locations on Banff Ave or at other popular locations such as the Train Station or at the Fenlands.
 
This Banff Avenue closure will evolve as we adapt to access requirements and business participation, and decisions will remain guided by providing safe space for pedestrians on the busiest street in Banff.

Bear Street Reconstruction Project Team:

• Pierre-Hugues “PH” Gagnon, Bear Street Project Manager
• Marie-Eve Jackson, Community Liaison Officer (for businesses, employees and residents)
• Rick Williams, Business Liaison Officer (for property owners)
•  Janice Carson, Senior Communications Specialist
• Darren Enns, Director of Planning and Development
• Adrian Field, Director of Engineering

 
For questions and comments about the Bear Street Reconstruction project, please email bearstreettalk@banff.ca.