🚲 E-Bike Accident in Banff + Wildlife Crossings

Good morning, Bow Valley!

If you’re a hockey fan, let this sink in: Since WWII, no NHL team has come back from a 3-0 deficit to win the Stanley Cup.  With a stat like that, how could you not cheer for the Oilers tonight?  Game 7 is going down! 

In today’s Bow Valley Insider:

• Launch of new wildlife crossings

• Serious e-bike accident in Banff

• Call for better grizzly protection

• + Take your pooch to a patio

Let’s get to it!

— Fortune Whelan, Shireen Ahmed, Lauren H., & Ben S.

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CRITTER CROSSINGS: ALBERTA PAVES THE WAY FOR SAFER ROADS

What’s happening: Alberta's Ministry of Transportation is launching new wildlife crossings.  Two of these crossings are planned for Highway 1A; one in the Grotto Mountain area and the other near Gap Lake.   

Why they’re doing it: This is all part of their Animal-Vehicle Collision Safety Program, which aims to help critters like elk, bears, and sheep move around safely.  

Feedback from those in the know:  The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative says, “These crossings will keep animals connected and cut down on collisions, which cost a ton in damage and cleanup.”   

The stats: Between 2015 and 2020, animal-vehicle collisions accounted for approximately 60% of the reported collisions on rural highways. These collisions cost Albertans approximately $300,000 a day in direct and indirect costs, including property damage, health care, and highway clean-up.   

Big picture: These new wildlife crossings are much needed.  If you’ve ever driven Highway 1A between Canmore and Exshaw, I’m sure you’ve seen dozens of sheep trying to cross the road.

THE DIGEST

• 💵Tax bills for 2024 are out in the MD of Bighorn. Residential properties like a $825,000 home will see a $36 monthly increase due to a 10% assessment rise. Non-residential properties, like a $1 million one, face an extra $1,304 annually. Payments are due July 31, with penalties if late.
  
  

• 🚨STARS air ambulance was dispatched to Banff on Saturday after a 60-year-old woman suffered multiple injuries in an e-bike accident.  She was transported to Calgary and is in critical but stable condition. 
  
  

• 🏞️Parks Canada is refreshing the Lake Louise and Field Community Plans. These plans outline the future direction for these communities over the next decade, focusing on sustainability and balancing natural beauty with economic and social needs.
  
  

• 🖌️Kyle (Eagle Child) Kaquitts and Jarron (Black Bear) Poucette are among six Indigenous artists chosen for a mural project at Banff's Cave and Basin. Their murals celebrate Indigenous heritage and the deep ties to the Rocky Mountains, highlighting cultural connections and historic relationships with the land.
  
  

• 👨‍🚒Canmore firefighters were feeling the burn when they quickly extinguished an illegal campfire near Canmore, preventing it from spreading further into Bow Valley Provincial Park. Brush up on your outdoor fire ethics here!

WILDLIFE SUMMIT URGED AFTER SPATE OF GRIZZLY DEATHS ON TRANS-CANADA HIGHWAY

What's happening: Recently, four grizzly bears were killed in just four days along the Trans-Canada Highway near Field, B.C. This includes the rare white grizzly bear named Nakoda and her cubs, who were struck despite efforts with wildlife exclusion fences.

Call to action: Wildlife advocate John Marriott is calling for a wildlife summit hosted by Parks Canada to tackle the issues of highway mitigation and habitat preservation for grizzlies and other wildlife in national parks. The idea is to gather experts and the public to find sustainable solutions, especially since Nakoda’s death marks a significant loss for the Lake Louise grizzly population.

The game plan: Marriott and the Exposed Wildlife Conservancy are pushing for better enforcement of speed limits in wildlife zones, improved signage, and completing the fencing and wildlife crossings on the Trans-Canada Highway through Yoho National Park.

Long-term strategies needed: Marriott emphasizes that while Parks Canada has made efforts, like relocating Nakoda multiple times, more long-term strategies are needed to protect bears from highway dangers. It’s a tough situation, but hopefully, these discussions will lead to concrete actions to better protect our wildlife.

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Blood on the Clocktower, June 24, 7 PM. Get away from the tourists and play the social deduction game Blood on the Clocktower! Banff Public Library, Banff. Free.
  
  

• Watch Game 7 of the Stanley Cup, June 25. The Legion is open from 5 PM, with wings on special and happy hour until 7 PM. Banff Legion, Banff.

Tuesday

• Banff Clothing Swap, June 25, 7 PM. Update your wardrobe for free. Banff Public Library, Banff. Free.
  
  

• Movie Night, June 25, 7 PM. artsPlace is screening Dune 2 starring Zendaya and Javier Bardem. artsPlace Canmore. $12/ $10.50 for members/ $6 for youth.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🐾There are a whopping 29 outdoor patios in Canmore where your pooches are also welcomed. Check them out here!
  
  

• 🧗‍♂️Lady MacDonald hike is now open! It’s already busy, but the incredible views are worth it.
  
  

• 🍧Lovely Ice Cream opens a brick and mortar location in Shops of Canmore. Congratulations to Conor and Alexis McKeown!
  
  

• ✏️Crossway Community Thrift Store is now accepting applications for their Back to School program in the Bow Valley!
  
  

• 📰Calgary’s Avenue Magazine is showcasing an Elbow Park home with a unique copper door crafted by Canmore artist Tony Bloom!
  

• 👻Did you know that Lake Minnewanka cradles a submerged ghost town in its waters? Not a diver? Explore the lake with Lake Minnewanka Cruise or paddle around in a kayak.
  
  

• 🍸Did you know The Local Cocktail Bar and Eatery in Canmore offers locals 15% off their entire bill?
  
  

• 🏆The Outsiders is a cool free program for Bow Valley residents in Grades 5-8. They’ll do sports, crafts, and field trips. Check it out here.
  
  

• 🌱Weed out your leftover seeds and drop them off at the Canmore Public Library's Seed Exchange. At this free exchange, you can drop off and pick up as many seeds as you like!
  
  

• 🎿Love skiing or snowboarding? Stay fit and give back! Join the volunteer team at Rocky Mountain Adaptive for training and new mountain adventures.
  
  

• 🐻Heads up if you're heading to Moraine Lake and nearby trails! There are grizzly bears in the area.  Report bear sightings to Banff dispatch at 403-762-1470.

CIVIC NEWS

• Don’t forget about the upcoming Banff Town Council meeting on June 24, 2024. Here are a couple of key agenda items to note (check out the full meeting agenda here):
  

  • Approval sought for a 1.0% increase in the Fortis Franchise Fee, raising it to 8.0% from January 1. The additional revenue would go to the Climate Change Resiliency Reserve Fund.
    
    

  • Proposed changes to the land use bylaw, including removing on-site parking requirements for dwellers, increasing allowable building sizes, and expanding areas for multifamily dwellings.

• Check out the MD of Bighorn No. 8 Governance & Priorities meeting on June 25, 2024. One key agenda item is the potential funding of the Harvie Heights pavement overlay from reserves, pending Committee prioritization. Check out the full meeting agenda here.

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, June 24, 7:30 PM: Latin jazz with Eliana Cuevas and Jeremy Ledbetter. $30. Location: artsPlace, Canmore. Tickets here.
  
  

• Tuesday, June 25, 5:30 PM: Amp sessions with Mari Rosehill. Free. Location: Jenny Belzberg Theatre, Banff Centre, Banff.

SPORTS

• Keep calm and pedal on-- Alberta hosted its first adaptive mountain bike race in Canmore. Check out Gustavo Ortiz, Christian Bagg, and David Sagal in action at the 2024 Canmore Canada Cup XCC.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Wednesday, same time, same place!