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; start of water pipe replacement

• 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

• Traffic – closed
• Parking – closed
• Pedestrian access – open with temporary pathways
• Parkades – limited 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 Details: June 14 - 20

• Bear Street is closed to vehicular traffic, except for access to the underground parkades at Bear Street Mall and Town House Building, which are accessible from Wolf Street.
• There is no on-street parking on Bear Street throughout the reconstruction.
• The section of Bear Street from Caribou Street to the laydown area (in the surface parking lot) is closed to vehicular traffic to ensure safe construction. The underground parkade at Brewster’s Mountain Lodge will not be accessible.
• Access to the Townhouse Building and Bear Street Mall parkades will remain and the East-West traffic on Wolf Street will also remain.
  • 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).
• Temporary water servicing infrastructure will be installed at Wolf Street intersection early in the week where more fencing will enclose part of the intersection.
• Water services will be disconnected to buildings only after notification of property owners, who will inform tenants. Intermittent service disruption may occur.
• Temporary water servicing will be provided to relevant buildings.
• The replacement of the water pipes is set to begin late in the week. Fencing will be up around the Caribou Street intersection and all the way to approximately 205 Bear Street.
• Small sidewalk areas may be demolished adjacent to some buildings.
• Caribou Street intersection is planned to be closed for a few weeks.
• Additional crew will be deployed 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 public site later this week.
• Maps with all Bear Street businesses and services to be installed on reverse side of large 4-foot by 8-foot signs at the entrance to Bear Street.
• Social media geofencing advertisements promoting Bear Street will being next week.
• Ambassadors are being recruited for July.
  
• The marketing budget for Bear Street was reduced by more than $200,000 as part of the Town of Banff’s efforts to reduce the overall municipal budget. This measure helped reduce municipal portion of property taxes by 17% in 2020. The project team will optimize the remaining marketing budget to have the greatest impact locally this summer.

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. New guidance has been released for gondolas, multi-family dwellings (for those operating staff accommodations) and outdoor events (with a focus on weddings). To avoid being closed, please review guides and assistance:

• Access the most up-to-date resources, reopening guidelines, best practices and tips:
  • https://banff.ca/Covidbusiness#Help
  • https://www.banfflakelouise.com/members/reopening-guidelines
• Sign up for newsletter from BLLT, with updates on business support info and resources: https://www.banfflakelouise.com/members/newsletter-signup
• The Alberta Biz Connect website outlines requirements for businesses allowed to reopen: https://www.alberta.ca/biz-connect.aspx
• Order a made-in-Banff sticker for your floor to help manage 2-metre distancing requirements.

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.

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.