It’s time for Mayor Krausert and Council to rethink its redevelopment plans for Canmore's favorite pathway.

Proposed changes listed in the Bow River Pathway Conceptual Design - drastic widening, paving, lighting and new bridges - will create a ‘bike highway’ along the bank of the Bow River.

If Mayor and Council move forward with this plan, the beloved, crushed gravel path will be flattened and widened - first to 11.5 feet (3.5 metres), then paved with black asphalt.

The Town says they will further widen path to 18 feet (5.5 metres) and add artificial street lights later, if they so choose. Town Engineer confirmed in July 1 news article that two new 5.5 metre wide bridges will be built! Town also sent letter in June to affected residents saying the path would be widened to 5.5m.

Click to see comparable project in Santa Monica: www.stopthebikehighway.ca

The bad plan is at odds with Canmore's own Environmental Stewardship policy and public commitment to green policies!

Early work is underway and there’s no time to lose.

The Town's Plan is Wrong for Canmore. It will...

• Be unsafe for walkers, joggers, children, pets and casual cyclists, who will be moving much slower than high speed e-bikes, e-scooters and racing cyclists
• Displace wildlife, including elk, who now use this unique area of the Bow Valley as a calving habitat - The path has been closed for elk calving in the past
• Disrupt habitat of Bull Trout, Alberta's Threatened native species - new bridge construction will require work in Canmore Creek bed where fish eggs are laid
• Harm the natural environment, with trees being cut and asphalt being applied
• Create light pollution in a natural wildlife habitat
• Cost taxpayers $ millions - capital and annual maintenance costs - that could be better spent on urgent and existing needs for our community

Mayor Krausert and Councillors, There’s a Better Path

We support sensible and moderate improvements to this beloved pathway. Council should consider other viable alternatives for high-speed commuter bike traffic.

We support:

• Moderate widening of the pathway and bridges to a maximum of 10 feet (3 metres)
• Maintaining the gravel surface
• No artificial lights
• No high-speed traffic (user speeds less than 20 km/hr)
• Building new routes to support active transportation, including extending the Legacy Trail to the Three Sisters entrance
• Improve dedicated bike lanes on Three Sisters Parkway with protected lanes (curbs)

There’s no time to lose - capital budgets for 2023 and beyond are being prepared now and will be passed in Nov/Dec 2022.

If you care about this important issue, please sign this petition and include your comments at time of signing. Add your support behind over 1600 others who have signed the paper version of this petition or this digital petition.

Also, please email Mayor Sean Krausert and Councillors to express your opposition to such drastic, unwise and unnecessary changes.

mayor@canmore.ca

council@canmore.ca

Stay informed:

https://www.stopthebikehighway.ca

https://www.twitter.com/bowriverpath

Please note: any donation you may make via this site goes to ipetitions, not Friends of the Path.