Banff, Alberta
| Town of Banff | |||
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| Coordinates: | |||
| Country |  Canada |
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| Province |  Alberta |
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| Region | Alberta's Rockies | ||
| Census division | 15 | ||
| Founded | 1880 | ||
| Government [1] | |||
| - Mayor | John Stutz | ||
| - Governing body | Banff Town Council | ||
| - Manager | Robert Earl | ||
| - MP | Myron Thompson | ||
| - MLA | Janis Tarchuk | ||
| Area | |||
| - Total | 4.85 km² (1.9 sq mi) | ||
| Elevation | 1,463 m (4,800 ft) | ||
| Population (2006)[2] | |||
| - Total | 6,700 | ||
| - Density | 1,381.7/km² (3,578.6/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | MST (UTC-7) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | MDT (UTC-6) | ||
| Postal code span | T1L | ||
| Area code(s) | +1-403 | ||
| Website: Town of Banff | |||
Banff is the largest town in Banff National Park, in Alberta's Rockies, Canada. It is also the first incorporated municipality located within a national park in Canada. At 1,463 m (4,800 ft), it is the town with the highest elevation in Canada. It is surrounded by mountains, notably Mount Rundle, Sulphur Mountain, Mount Norquay, and Cascade Mountain; and situated above Bow Falls near the junction of the Bow and Spray Rivers. Banff is located 126 km (78 mi) west of Calgary and 58 km (36 mi) east of Lake Louise, on the Trans-Canada Highway. The Town is a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership.
Banff is a resort town and one of Canada's most popular tourist destinations, known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. It is a major destination for outdoor sports and features extensive hiking, biking, scrambling and skiing areas within the region. Two ski resorts are located in close proximity: Sunshine Village and Ski Norquay.
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History
Banff was first settled in the 1880s, after the transcontinental railway was built through the Bow Valley. In 1883, three Canadian Pacific Railway workers stumbled upon a series of natural hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain. In 1885, Canada established a federal reserve of 26 km² around the hot springs, and began promoting the area as an international resort and spa as a way to support the new railway.[3] In 1887, the reserve area was increased to 673 km² and named "Rocky Mountain Park." This was the beginning of Canada's National Park system.
The area was named Banff in 1884 by Lord Steven, a former Canadian Pacific Railway director, recalling the name of his birthplace, Banffshire in Scotland.[4] Canadian Pacific built a series of grand hotels along the rail line and advertised the Banff Springs Hotel as an international tourist resort.
Banff townsite developed near the railway station as a service centre for tourists visiting the park. It was administered by the Government of Canada's national parks system until 1990, when the Town of Banff became the only incorporated municipality within a Canadian national park.
In 1985, the United Nations declared Banff National Park, as one of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a World Heritage Site. Banff remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Canada.
Contemporary issues
According to the 2007 municipal census,[5] the Town of Banff's permanent population was 8721. However, this figure includes a seasonal shadow population of more than 1000. The town's growth in recent years has led to concerns among some environmentalists who fear that it will harm the wilderness of the surrounding national park. The federal government has attempted to address these concerns by restricting development in the town, and mandating that only people who can demonstrate a "need to reside"[6] may take up permanent residence in the community.
Demographics
According to the Canada 2006 Census:[2]
| * Population: | 6,700 (-6.1% from 2001) |
| * Land area: | 4.85 km² (1.87 sq mi) |
| * Population density: | 1,381.7 people/km² (3,578.6/sq mi) |
| * National population rank (Out of 5,008): | Ranked 544th |
| * Median age:† | 29.4 (males: 30.0, females: 28.7) |
| * Total private dwellings: | 2,844 |
| * Dwellings occupied by permanent residents: | 2,568 |
| * Mean household income:↑ | Unavailable |
- Note: ↑ The data has not yet been released and is based on 2001 Census.[2]
Climate
 Weather averages for Banff  |
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C | -4.6 | -0.4 | 4.5 | 9.5 | 14.5 | 18.5 | 21.9 | 21.3 | 16.3 | 10.1 | 0.2 | -5.1 | 8.3 |
| Average low °C | -14.1 | -11.6 | -7.3 | -2.5 | 1.7 | 5.4 | 7.4 | 6.9 | 2.7 | -1.3 | -8.4 | -13.3 | -3.9 |
| Precipitation mm | 27.5 | 21.9 | 23.4 | 32.4 | 59.6 | 61.7 | 54.2 | 60.1 | 42.1 | 29.4 | 26.8 | 33.2 | 472.3 |
| Average high °F | 24 | 31 | 40 | 49 | 58 | 65 | 71 | 70 | 61 | 50 | 32 | 23 | 47 |
| Average low °F | 7 | 11 | 19 | 28 | 35 | 42 | 45 | 44 | 37 | 30 | 17 | 8 | 25 |
| Precipitation inches | 1.08 | 0.86 | 0.92 | 1.28 | 2.35 | 2.43 | 2.13 | 2.37 | 1.66 | 1.16 | 1.06 | 1.31 | 18.59 |
| Source: Enviroment Canada [7] August 2008 | |||||||||||||
Attractions
There are a number of popular mountains located immediately adjacent to the townsite. They include Mount Rundle (2,949 m/9,675 ft), Cascade Mountain (2,998 m/9,836 ft) and Mount Norquay (2,134 m/7,001 ft), which has a ski slope as well as mountain biking trails on the Stoney Squaw portion. A gondola lift is available to ascend Sulphur Mountain (2,281 m/7,484 ft) where a boardwalk beginning from the upper terminal takes visitors to Sanson Peak. Sulphur Mountain is also the location of one of Banff's most popular attractions, the Banff Upper Hot Springs.
Tunnel Mountain (formerly known as Sleeping Buffalo Mountain) (1,690 m/5,545 ft) is situated within the townsite and is very popular for quick hikes; one can reach the summit in less than half an hour. It was named Tunnel Mountain because surveyors initially wanted to make a tunnel for the Canadian Pacific Railway right through the mountain, instead of following the Bow River Valley.
Banff is home to the well-known Banff World Television Festival, Banff Mountain Film Festival and Rocky Mountain Music Festival.
Public transport
In June 2008, the Banff council launched a local bus system called Roam, with three routes connecting the town, Tunnel Mountain, the Banff Springs Hotel, and the Banff Gondola.[8] The service is operated using four hybrid Nova buses, each decorated with scenes from the National Park.[9]
VIA Rail's long-distance trains no longer serve Banff, but the town's railway station remains in use by the Rocky Mountaineer and Royal Canadian Pacific tour trains.
Media
Planetary Feature Nomenclature
In 1976, the International Astronomical Union and Working Group for Planetary System Nomenclature (IAU/WGPSN) officially adopted the name BANFF for a crater on the surface of the Planet Mars. BANFF Crater, which is attributed to the town of Banff, Alberta, Canada, is located at 17.7 degrees North Latitude, and 30.8 degrees West Longitude on the surface of the planet Mars. The diameter of BANFF Crater is 5.0 Kilometers.
Notable residents
- Karen Percy, who won 2 bronze medals in skiing at the 1988 Olympics
- Ryan Smyth, NHL player
See also
- Banff National Park
- Banff Centre
References
- ↑ Town of Banff. "Town Council". Retrieved on 2007-06-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Statistics Canada (Census 2006). "Banff - Community Profile". Retrieved on 2007-06-12.
- ↑ History of the Town of Banff
- ↑ Banff Heritage Tourism Corporation
- ↑ 2007 Municipal Census
- ↑ Need to Reside Requirement
- ↑ Canadian Climate Normals 1971-2000
- ↑ "Roam". Town of Banff.
- ↑ "When in Banff, Roam". Town of Banff.
External links
- Official Website of the Town of Banff
- Official Site for Banff Lake Louise Tourism
- Crag and Canyon - Local newspaper
- Park Radio 101.1 FM
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Lake Louise | Mount Norquay ski resort Cascade Mountain |
Lake Minnewanka |
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| Sunshine Village |  |
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 Town of Banff  |
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| Radium Hot Springs | Sulphur Mountain | Canmore |
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