Shared streets, shared stakes: Lessons from Banff’s Bear Street
Date
2025-12-10
Authors
McDonald, Kiersten
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Local Governance Hub
Abstract
Bear Street shows that shared streets can turn a car‑dominated road into a lively, pedes-trian‑first space that pulls people off Banff Avenue. Stakeholders care most about business impacts and street design, especially construc-tion disruption, parking, and long‑term viability. Even intensive engagement over several years can still leave people divided, so how par-ticipation is designed matters as much as how much of it there is. The project boosts resilience and environmental goals in a tight, tourism town but also nudges the street toward more tourist‑oriented, higher‑revenue businesses. Future projects need to tightly align construction timing, communication, and street role within a clear mobility and land‑use strategy that foregrounds justice and trust.
Description
Keywords
Banff, shared streets, urban planning, community engagement
Citation
McDonald, K. (2025) Shared streets, shared stakes: Lessons from Banff’s Bear Street, Local Governance Hub Policy Briefs, No. 4, pgs. 1-7.