If possible leave your car at home if you’re visiting this long weekend, says the Town of Banff. Globalnews.ca

with officials city ​​of banff And Parks Canada asking visitors to leave their cars at home and if possible take public transportation in anticipation of getting too busy Canada Day long weekend.

If you need to bring your own car, however, city officials are asking you to park at the free train station lot because most lots will be full by 11 a.m.

The city said visitors can walk, cycle, or take Rome public transit to and from every attraction in and around Banff.

Town and Parks Canada said they are expecting an additional 30,000 vehicles per day over this long weekend.

According to data from Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, the park will see pre-pandemic levels this year. The tourism organization said that in a typical year about four million people visit Banff National Park and more than 80 percent visit the city.

“The City of Banff has enough space for people to explore our pedestrian zone, the plaza on Bear Street, and all the trails and parks around the city, but with a limited area of ​​four square kilometers, our city has limited roads and There are parking lots that can’t accommodate vehicles if everyone wants to drive everywhere,” Mayor Corey Dimono said in a statement Tuesday.

“Parking, then walking, cycling or taking transit is the right thing to do in a national park, to reduce the emissions that climate change causes, and because it is a much more enjoyable experience… Can’t adjust.”

The warnings come after the Town of Banff reversed a decision to allow visitors to park on the city’s residential streets, a measure originally planned to tackle heavy traffic during the long weekend of Canada Day.

In a statement Tuesday, city manager Kelly Gibson said the city’s administration decided to reverse the decision after hearing feedback from residents.

“We did not adequately tell our community this part of our traffic mitigation plan to give people enough time to review the measure, and we received huge protests from our residents yesterday,” Gibson said. .

“We are sorry for the disruption this decision has caused and we look forward to rebuilding relationships with the residents who depend on the city to act in the best interest of our community.”

Nancy Daddault, director of visitor experiences for Banff and Lake Louise Tourism, encourages everyone to plan ahead and book early whenever possible. If possible, consider afternoon and mid-week visits, he said.

“It is the summer of recovery for the Banff and Lake Louise businesses after the devastating effects of the past two years,” Dadalt told Global News.

“Come and try some new experiences that don’t require a car. Enjoy a guided tour or take a walk along the Art in Nature Trail along the Bow River.”