2023 Project Summary

New Fire Hall
Council has approved a new 8-bay fire hall to replace the old fire hall built in the late 1970’s. It will be located along Palliser Trail, at the site just below the cemetery. Design work for the fire hall is nearing completion, with a goal of the building being as close to net zero carbon as possible. Construction of the fire hall is scheduled to take place in 2022-23. 

Cougar Creek
A 34m high embankment dam on Cougar Creek, upstream from the community in under construction. In a flood event, the structure will reduce the flow of water and removes the larger debris from reaching the downstream area of the creek.

Mountain Creek Hazard Mitigation
Another priority is to address unacceptable risks to existing development and ensure safe future development through our Steep Creek Hazard Mitigation Program. Projects this year will significantly reduce community safety risk.  The first one is the design of the long-term debris-flood hazard mitigation of Three Sisters Creek. The preliminary design includes a long offset berm on the east side of the upper channel, and debris management at the golf course pond and at the Three Sisters Parkway. This will complement the project completed in 2018. It will also be compatible with potential future mitigation upgrades required for development of Three Sisters Village. Next is the long-term debris-flood hazard mitigation of  Stone Creek. The project will include detailed design, risk reduction re-assessment, and environmental permitting.

Palliser Area Structure Plan
With the continued growth pressure and the limited land supply within the Town of Canmore, large scale development plans need to be strategic and deliberate. Land within the Palliser area provides opportunities for future development that could contribute to alleviating the need for affordable housing as well as commercial and light industrial lands. An Area Structure Plan for the Palliser area will provide the direction needed to inform potential land use changes and the overall approach towards managing these environmentally important lands. This project would establish a revised vision for the lands within the Palliser Area that would replace the one that was developed in 2000 and reflects currents needs. 

Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan
Growth of the overall community and increases in visitation have reinforced Canmore’s Town Centre as a vibrant destination and the heart of the community.  A Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan will establish a revised vision and provide the direction necessary to inform land use changes, municipal investments, and upgrades to the area and opportunities for further enhancements by the local business community. This would include an investigation of seasonal or permanent pedestrianization of a portion of Main Street; identifying the impacts, as well as opportunities this would have on operations, the local business community, and the surrounding residential neighbourhoods. 

Main Street Pedestrian Zone 
Council has approved another temporary implementation of a pedestrian-only Main Street in the summer will see enhancements to the space until the Downtown Area Redevelopment Plan is completed. After implementing this initiative for the past three summers, the focus of the Main Street in the summer of 2023 will continue to add more vibrancy elements such as lighting, flowers, artwork, and pageantry. 

West Bow River Pathway Improvements
The first phase of the Bow River West Pathway project will upgrade the current gravel pathway to match the hard surfaces between the Bow River Bridge and the existing asphalt pathway in Three Sisters. 
This project will focus on improvements that will increase safety for all users on a year-round basis, allowing for the path to the Town Centre to be maintained throughout the winter.
The upgrades will improve slopes and add separate walking and cycling lanes in some areas. It includes the replacement of two existing wood pedestrian bridges at Prospect Heights with steel structures. Work has started this year and while several trees have been removed in the area for geotechnical work, of course, trees will be replaced with new ones as part of the landscaping part of the project. Work will continue this spring and summer to make the new section ready for winter maintenance later this year. 
As well, we will be creating trail signs and maps to improve safety and wayfinding and communicate and educate the public on trail etiquette throughout town.

Lions Park Playground and Tennis Court Expansion
Grant funding for the tennis court expansion at Lions Park was recently confirmed, and the playground, which was built in 1998 and needs replacing, will be relocated to the north side of Lions Park as part of a coordinated project. The new playground will be enhanced, including a rubberized surface, making the site more accessible for users. The tennis courts will be rebuilt to include four tournament regulation sized tennis courts. The project includes grant funding of $125,000 and it is anticipated that the revenue from the Canmore Tennis Association reservation and membership fee system will offset the full Town contribution within 25-30 years.  

Quarry Lake Jumping Platform
Thanks to a private donation, we can now plan to proceed with a jumping platform at the west side of Quarry Lake. This important project will make is safer for swimmers to access the lake and reduce the risk of hitting the shoreline or the lake bottom. As well, the environment will benefit. Currently swimmers scramble up the bank, eroding the shoreline, which is now getting closer each year to the trail. 

Commercial Food Waste Collection
On the heels of a successful residential program, another priority is to reduce our community impact on climate change by implementing a commercial organics diversion program. The commercial organics program launched in December 2020, and there are currently 20 business participating. Recruiting new businesses to the program has been a challenge due to the pandemic and staffing shortages that many businesses faced this summer.  

Residential Food Waste Collection
We are installing more residential food waste containers in neighborhoods to make it even more convenient. There are nine new locations proposed including Rundle Crescent, Fairholme Drive, south Canmore, Kananaskis Way, Canyon Close, Silvertip Road, Palliser Lane, and Stewart Creek. 

Pumphouse 2 -New Water Treatment Plant
One of the biggest projects is replacing the 40-year old Pumphouse 2 with a new Water Treatment Plant and decommissioning the current facility. The new water treatment plant will double the current capacity to support water demand to full community buildout.

Regenerative Tourism Framework
Administration is working with Tourism Canmore Kananaskis to create a Tourism Roundtable to initiate and monitor progress on the Regenerative Tourism Framework and facilitate broad-based community dialogue in 2022. 

Rail Service Impact Study
A potential passenger rail service between Banff and Calgary is stated to be potentially up and running as early as 2025. As Canmore has no say as to whether or not this passenger rail initiative proceeds through the Town, our decision is about if and where it would stop in Canmore.  An impact study will be completed to look at tthe impact on our transportation systems by additional trains and passengers arriving by rail - whether that be congestion, public transit, or connectivity.  

Recycling and Waste
We will be completing a waste characterization study, specifically looking at our recycling and food waste programs. The purpose of the study is to find out how these initiatives have changed what is being thrown into the garbage by residents.

Changes are also coming to the Boulder Crescent Recycling Depot, to improve traffic flow and allow operations to service the site without driving into the public area. 

Paid Parking & Fare Free Transit
It is clear that we need to better manage our existing parking resources and address traffic congestion. Parking is not free. Residents, businesses, and visitors pay indirectly through higher taxes, higher rents, and increased costs of goods and services.

Strategies focus less on increasing the supply of parking space and in favour of using existing facilities and infrastructure more efficiently.

Railway Avenue
Railway Avenue is a key transportation corridor. It is due for major underground utility work to increase the size of the wastewater main, and at the same time we will be making changes to the road design to match the recently completed southern part of the road where it intersects with Bow Valley Trail and becomes Benchlands trail. Currently, we’re looking for public input on this next section of the project which encompasses street improvements to the portion of Railway Avenue between that intersection and just north of the 10th Street intersection. The scope includes new sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and reconstruction of the intersection at Main Street.  While construction won’t begin until 2024, this project will provide a greater range of transportation options and opportunities for residents and visitors, facilitate movement of people into the Town Centre, and encourage through-traffic and transportation of goods around the Town Centre.

Bow Valley Trail & Teepee Town Transportation Improvements
In 2023 we will be improving the west side of Bow Valley Trail from Williams Street to Hospital Place (highlighted in red as phase 2A on the image). The scope of work for 2023 includes replacement of underground utilities, drainage improvements, and construction of separated cycle and pedestrian pathways. 

In 2024 we will be doing something similar on 2 Ave from where Phase 2A ended and continuing to 17 St. We’ll be replacing underground utilities, constructing a separated cycle pathway adjacent to Bow Valley Trail from the Spice Hut crossing to 17  St, raising intersections at 2 Ave and 13 and 15 streets and improving drainage adjacent to Bow Valley Trail. Improving stormwater infrastructure from Williams Street to Hospital Place will help to improve an area which has historically experienced ponding of water or flooding.

External Projects

If you’re looking for information on other development projects happening around Canmore, visit our webpage Current Planning Applications.  

Summary of 2023 Capital Projects

The full budget and complete list of projects can be viewed in the pdf 2023 2028 Budget and Business Plan (20.99 MB) .

Visit RFP and Tender Opportunities to bid on current projects.