A design competition is being launched to develop a conceptual design of a new visitor information centre in the heart of downtown Banff that has been in the works for almost 30 years, which could include residential housing.
On Friday (Feb. 7), Parks Canada announced Royal Architectural Institute of Canada has been hired to oversee an international design competition to develop a conceptual design for the 200-block Banff Avenue redevelopment project.
“As members of the Banff community, the Parks Canada team looks forward to seeing the progression of this project and the ways it will create lasting opportunities and benefits to Indigenous peoples, visitors, and our vibrant local community,” said Sal Rasheed, superintendent of Banff National Park in a press release.
In 1998, the federal government announced it was taking back lands on the east side of the 200 block of Banff Avenue as part of a plan to create a new visitor centre and to limit commercial development to protect the surrounding national park from the pressures of rampant development at the time.
Since then, the federal agency has bought out and completed the assembly of lands, with the last lot at 206 Banff Avenue finalized in 2024 with the official takeover of the Bow Valley Credit Union building, which moved to 216 Banff Avenue.
In total, Parks Canada has 10 adjacent lots on Banff Avenue. These lots include Banff Avenue Park, the current visitor information centre, which is a federal heritage building, associated parking, and two other buildings.
In 2022, Parks Canada received $8 million in federal funding to begin detailed studies of the site and consult with Indigenous communities and members of the public on the vision for the 200 block of Banff Avenue.
Officials say they heard clearly that redevelopment presents a unique opportunity to modernize facilities and open spaces in downtown Banff to welcome national park visitors.
They say it provides a chance to encourage connection with the national park, foster a welcoming and vibrant community, and look at options to address housing needs for eligible residents as well. Banff has a housing shortfall of between 750-1,000 units.
Concluding in March 2026, officials say the design competition will follow established industry standards and protocols and bring professional expertise to the evaluation process to generate conceptual designs for the site.
“The feedback gathered so far through engagement will be used to guide the design competition, as all applicants will need to ensure the values and vision shared by Indigenous communities, stakeholders, and the public are reflected in the conceptual design options that are developed,” states the release.
About 80 per cent of Banff National Park’s visitors enter the Banff townsite.
Throughout the design competition, there will be more opportunities for Canadians to share their input. As the initiative moves forward, information and updates will be posted online: www.letstalkmountainparks.ca/200-block-banff-avenue-redevelopment.
