Iconic Banff sign, a ‘bucket list’ attraction for visitors, moving to safer spot

A fashionable selfie spot for visitors to Banff National Park has go a unfortunate of its ain success.

The two-metre-high, $350,000 “Banff” motion was installed successful 2017 connected Mount Norquay Avenue, 1 of 2 entrances into the Alberta upland park’s idyllic townsite.

But the constrictive two-lane road, which runs from the Mount Norquay Ski Resort 7 kilometres away, is fraught with postulation jams, adjacent betwixt the highest tourer seasons of wintertime and summer.

Town officials person decided it needs to beryllium moved.

“We’ve debated this for implicit 3 years now,” said Darren Enns, Banff’s manager of readying and environment. “We’ve yet reached the constituent that we made the determination to instrumentality the adjacent measurement forward.”

Banff gets astir 4 cardinal visitors a year, and Mount Norquay Avenue sees 55 to 60 per cent of the traffic, said Enns.

In the summer, determination are astir 17,000 vehicles a time connected the avenue, with tons of pedestrians crossing the roadworthy from a parking batch to the sign.

“We’re precise fortunate to not person immoderate nationalist information incidents. But surely that’s ever apical of mind, and our assembly has directed america to look astatine a much pedestrian-oriented situation for the sign,” said Enns, adding a determination could hap arsenic aboriginal arsenic adjacent summer.

On a caller sunny time successful October, a dependable watercourse of visitors made their mode from crossed the roadworthy to the sign, causing postulation to stop.

A lineup of astir 30 radical waited for a accidental to instrumentality photos, galore offering to drawback shots for others.

Mike Jones and his woman were among those successful line.

“It’s thing we ever bash erstwhile we spell to a touristy place. We ever similar to person a representation of wherever we’re visiting, whether it’s Banff oregon determination else. It’s benignant of what we bash and I cognize a batch of others deliberation the aforesaid way,” said Jones, who is from Fort McMurray.

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He was amazed to perceive the motion volition beryllium moving but said it’s apt the close call.

“I’m definite they’ll prime a bully spot and a harmless spot,” helium said. “If it’s causing an issue, they bash person to determination it.”

Alissa Kittelson, her hubby and 2 daughters were visiting from Minneapolis.

“Banff was connected my bucket list. It’s beautiful. I’ve seen photos and I wanted to travel and cheque it out. I anticipation it makes the Christmas card,” Kittelson said.

She was gladsome to get the household photograph earlier the landmark is moved.

“I consciousness similar it’s the cleanable spot. We’re close connected the borderline of town. You tin spot the beauteous mountains down it. You tin spot the beauteous trees. I’d beryllium bittersweet to spot it moved.”

Enns said determination are a mates of places wherever the motion could find a caller home, including a downtown park. But the astir apt determination is simply a kilometre distant astatine the Banff bid station, wherever determination are astir 450 parking stalls.

“It’s ever large to spot a task that is truthful palmy that it has unintended consequences astir it,” Enns said.

“I’m precise grateful for each the interactions we’ve been capable to supply our visitors and each the memories that we’ve been capable to create.”