Calgary to Canmore Trail

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

The tourism package if the train and trail, and more hotels in Banff are finished is pretty compelling. Add in the convention centre, could evolve into one of the premier sites worldwide.

Yeah, it really could make a big difference. Between the new arena and the BMO expansion, the potential conference sizes keep growing too.

This is where the grand central location delivers a huge win vs more central DT, having the simplified logistics of direct airport terminal to conference site connectivity, along with the Banff connection is huge. Time to start planning a BC place sized stadium on the bus barns site to really level it up?

Having the bike trail as a local experience will definitely pull some extended bookings from attendees. Really excited to try it out myself someday!

Hopefully this lights a spark with other regions in the province too, maybe look at formalizing a bike trail along hwy 2A between the cities? Could also be a good add-on to the province's rail plan for Jasper.

 

[Mountain Man]

Will this bike path go up Scott Lake Hill? that hill would break most people who aren't serious cyclists! lol

 

[lemongrab]

The problem is your back is to the nicest view this way.

Can't see much when you're scrunched over and cursing the wind! If it follows the train line, the 25 km or so east of Seebe are going to really suck. Barely any trees at all and completely exposed to the wind...slightly uphill going east to west. I'm not sure the ~20km east of there to Cochrane will be much better, but at least there's some trees there.

The big advantage is that you're only dealing with a single land owner, but it's hard to imagine a development play for the Nation along that stretch; I suspect they'd want to put more focus on the development at HWY 40. Which leads to another route idea I've been toying with, and maybe I'll make a long fantasy post on

 

[CBBarnett]

Will this bike path go up Scott Lake Hill? that hill would break most people who aren't serious cyclists! lol

I've ridden that hill before - hopefully a proposed path follows more of the river/CPR route than Scott Lake Hill. It's a brutal climb coming back towards Calgary and definitely not the scenic route that would be one of the main ideas for the pathway in the first place (I'd hope!)

 

[darwink]

Time to start planning a BC place sized stadium on the bus barns site to really level it up?

TBH, a new public market/food hall that can support a full on lunch break of 25% of attendees at one of the huge conferences would be my 'next part of the puzzle'. Reading Terminal Market being the best in class example.

When airport rail/Banff rail breaks ground, I expect the go ahead will be given to a good number of new hotels and hospitality developments too.

Maybe near the end of the 2030s, exploring what to do with the Grandstand and McMahon will make sense. If the convention/tourism 'flywheel' is spinning at a terrific pace, an increased hotel room fee could help pay for the next thing.

 

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

TBH, a new public market/food hall that can support a full on lunch break of 25% of attendees at one of the huge conferences would be my 'next part of the puzzle'. Reading Terminal Market being the best in class example.

Too bad the saddledome is in the wrong spot for this, could be a neat adaptive reuse of the building, along with a bigger use of the space like an indoor water park.

Not that it would have been a perfect fit either, but teleporting eau claire market to the block between the arena and grand central would have filled a few gaps.

But with a clean slate, maybe a market / new horizons micro retail complex there? A few hotel / condo towers to anchor it and a great big open air +15 market area to bridge the station/arena gap.

Drifting this back on topic.. I'd imagine a similar but smaller setup would also work extremely well with a bikers campsite located near the Stoney train station. Tourist dollar vacuum right there!

 

[darwink]

Drifting this back on topic.. I'd imagine a similar but smaller setup would also work extremely well with a bikers campsite located near the Stoney train station. Tourist dollar vacuum right there!

Plusvarious locations on the Stoney reserve, should they wish to participate.

 

[Mountain Man]

I've ridden that hill before - hopefully a proposed path follows more of the river/CPR route than Scott Lake Hill. It's a brutal climb coming back towards Calgary and definitely not the scenic route that would be one of the main ideas for the pathway in the first place (I'd hope!)

I think this is going through Cochrane, so should be along the river and away from the Highway. Scott Lake Hill is the 2nd highest point on the entire TCH for those who aren't aware.

 

[Surrealplaces]

I've ridden that hill before - hopefully a proposed path follows more of the river/CPR route than Scott Lake Hill. It's a brutal climb coming back towards Calgary and definitely not the scenic route that would be one of the main ideas for the pathway in the first place (I'd hope!)

Agreed. It would be much easier to go along the south side of Ghost lake, and the more the trail is away from the car traffic and noise the better.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

a bikers campsite located near the Stoney train station

Thinking about this, the whole route might be intimidating to some, so breaking up the trail into more digestible segments, Stoney to Banff versus Calgary to Banff would be quite desirable. Train to Stoney, stay at their Casino, Hotel, "Mountain Town" Hub. Then bike into Banff.

 

[CBBarnett]

Thinking about this, the whole route might be intimidating to some, so breaking up the trail into more digestible segments, Stoney to Banff versus Calgary to Banff would be quite desirable. Train to Stoney, stay at their Casino, Hotel, "Mountain Town" Hub. Then bike into Banff.

A good north American example is the Le P’tit Train du Nord trail from outside Montreal to Mont Tremblant and beyond. About 250km total through small towns, campsites and scenic spots. Been a growing attraction since constructed on an old railway line back in the 1990s. It's mostly paved, but includes gravel sections too - not to bad for 250km.

I've ridden parts of it and it's really good quality with tons of services. It's obviously in a context with more existing development, but something to look at that could be replicated into our context an iconic Canadian Rockies tourist experience.

https://ptittraindunord.com/en/