BOW VALLEY – Two Bow Valley municipalities will sign a memorandum of understanding for an ongoing project to potentially create a Calgary to Canmore multi-use trail.
MD of Bighorn and Canmore councils unanimously approved their willingness to be part of the project. A memorandum of understanding will return to Canmore council for approval at a later date.
The memorandum doesn’t commit either municipality to a financial obligation, but allows them to be involved in development of the plan that would come after the portion of the Calgary to Cochrane stage is underway.
“I think this is a very interesting project,” said Canmore Mayor Sean Krausert at the April 22 meeting. “There are a number of interested holders all along where the trail will be. Only a small part of it would be within the municipal boundaries of the Town of Canmore. However, every partner along the way is integral for the success of Stage 2 of this trail. I think it’s a really interesting idea to explore.”
At Bighorn’s April 8 meeting, council unanimously supported entering into a memorandum of understanding to have a staff member take part in future meetings for the plan.
Hayley Gavin, Bighorn’s director of planning and development services, told council, no financial request was being made of the MD at this time.
Coun. Tanya Foubert said the trail has potential as a method to move people between communities, particularly given the success of the Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore, and opening up tourism opportunities.
“One of the greatest assets we have as a community and as a destination is our trail network. Being able to connect our trail network to other communities within the region is very powerful,” she said.
The plan was previously presented to Canmore in April and Bighorn in February, with members of the group providing both short- and long-term goals and information to both councils.
Known as The Trail, the second stage would establish a cycling and pedestrian trail between Cochrane and Canmore, with the first stage connecting Calgary to Cochrane.
The first stage had memorandum of understandings signed in 2023, involving the municipalities of Cochrane and Calgary.
The core team of the project was established in the spring of 2023. Funding was received from Trans-Canada Trail to investigate the feasibility of the Stage Two trail, Oct. 1, 2024.
“This is about investing in our future. We think this trail, which is from Calgary to Canmore, is a real amazing opportunity for a multipurpose trail for all walks of life,” said Bruce Eidsvik, who presented to Bighorn council in February.
“We got involved because this beautiful vision of getting from Calgary to Canmore sounded great and the (Town) of Cochrane and the Rotary Club of Cochrane have really led the charge here. They have been working on it for a decade.”
Representatives from Rundle Mountain Cycling Club, Rotary Club of Canmore and Canmore and Area Mountain Biking Association presented to both Bighorn and Canmore councils.
“The trail is, what I believe, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, once-in-a-lifetime for Albertans to connect in the big scheme, Calgary to Canmore,” said Carol Poland, a member of the delegation to Canmore council earlier in April. “The trail has been broken down into two stages. Stage One has actively been worked on, with the Calgary to Cochrane connection.”
“The trail will be a multi-use pathway. It is intended to be accessible for all ages and all abilities. We envision that it would offer a range of opportunities for recreation, for tourism, and for commuting. It would encourage people to choose active transportation and to connect the communities, and also promote reconciliation with our neighbours.”
Among the goals of the trail is to eventually become a part of the Trans-Canada Trail network.
The exact route and layout of the Stage Two trail had not yet been determined; however, a rough idea and outline were presented in the project plan. Ultimately, it will be up to the jurisdictional partners participating in the project to determine the final layout.
Potential jurisdictional partners which have been identified include Rocky View County, the Town of Cochrane, Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors, Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation, the MD of Bighorn, Alberta Forestry and Parks, and the Town of Canmore.
Management and oversight of the project will mimic Stage One, which saw it broken down into a core team, and the owners’ council, which are to serve as the decision-making body; and the technical and implementation teams, consisting of communications and funding subcommittees, Urban Systems and other consultants.
“Stage Two is coordinating and getting meetings going to work east. We as a team came together approximately two years ago now and we have received funding from Trans-Canada Trail. They gave us $10,000 to start to hold meetings and pull this together,” said Poland to Canmore council earlier in April.
Poland said the first stage is a capital funding project that is underway for the section of trail between Cochrane and Calgary.
The next step for the second stage of the trail between Canmore and Cochrane is consultation with the Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation and meeting with chiefs and CAOs.
According to previously signed memoranda of understanding, no jurisdictional partner is expected to put up the capital funding for their respective phase.
“The City of Calgary, Rocky View County, and Town of Cochrane all said they are agreeing to both the Stage one and Stage two, so they are focusing on Stage one, but they have all signed on to the expectation that they are building this trail from Cochrane to Canmore as well,” said Greg Birch, who presented as the delegation to Canmore council alongside Poland.
The ongoing engagement plan for the project includes being in-touch with the remaining potential jurisdictional partners, which include Îyârhe Nakoda First Nation and Alberta Transportation.
In the Bow Valley, the Legacy Trail between Banff and Canmore has been wildly popular, allowing people to safely cycle and walk the trail rather than use the Trans-Canada Highway. The roughly 25-kilometre stretch of multi-use path has more than 100,000 people using it each year.
In addition, the Bow Valley Parkway is closed to vehicles from May 1 to June 25 and again Aug. 28 to Oct. 2. Though the primary reason is to allow wildlife to safely use it as a crossing, it allows cyclists to use the 17-kilometre stretch of highway between Banff and Johnston Canyon or continue up to Baker Creek and Lake Louise.
“We envisioned three elements. There could be more or less, but the first is essentially from here, the town of Canmore, to the bridge, Highway 1A near Seebe – could be shorter, could be longer – but something connecting in the Bow Valley,” said Birch.
“The second was through the Stoney Nakoda lands, and that would take you to essentially the Ghost Reservoir, which is the boundary between the MD of Bighorn and the County of Rocky View, and then that stage.”
