YES2021 - Advanced Professional Planning Studio (Alaniz Uribe)

Inspired Ideas

CROWSNEST PASS, AB Land Use + Development Study

PLAN 630 Advanced Professional Planning Studio Instructed by Francisco Alaniz Uribe Winter 2021

Acknowledgments Thank you to all Crowsnest Pass community members for participating in the workshop and the final open house. Your input was invaluable for our learning and for the project.

UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Students: Shaun Ali Diba Mohebzadeh Megan Asbil Ivan Osorio Avila Mahshid Fadaei Binderya Oyunbaatar Dimitri Giannoulis Oliver Prcic Darby-Marie Henshaw Nathan Stelfox Elie Jahshan Mitch Stykalo Martina MacFarlane Anil Yadav Kristen Mei Instructor: Francisco Alaniz Uribe - Assistant Professor / RPP, MCIP STEERING COMMITTEE Crowsnest Pass community Terry Hrudey - Chair Municipal Planning Commission Ian Crawford - President Bellecrest Community Association Cam Davidson - Vice-President Bellecrest Community Association Joey Ambrosi - Frank Slide Interpretive Centre Sacha Anderson - Crowsnest Pass Chamber of Commerce Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Stephen Brunell - Director of Development, Engineering & Operations Johan van der Bank - Manger of Development & Trades Katherine Mertz - Development Officer ETH Zürich Manuel Sudau - Lecturer / Research Associate A special thanks to Taylor Felt, an alumni of the program and Community Planner with PLATeIA Planning, for facilitating the collaboration for this project.

Thank you to Peter Peller from Spatial & Numeric Data Services at the University of Calgary Library, as well as Ryan Dyck and Jamie Thomas from the Oldman River Regional Services Commission. They kindly facilitated the acquisition of most of the digital data used for this project.

Table of Contents

Groups

Ideas Each

Studio

04

Studio Introduction

07

Col - Wellness Centre - Blairmore - Recycling Facility - Frank - Artist Cabins - Coleman

22

Summit - Wetland Park - Cameron Collage - Gondola

Hamlets

Site Visits

Municipality

39

Zeitgeist - MDM Centre & Housing - Recreation Centre - Blairmore Main Street

53

Una - Crowsnest Community Trails - Main Streets - Parks and Open Space

78

HS2 - Bellevue Community Park - Bus Rapid Transit - Way Finding

Ivan Osorio-Avila Kristen Mei Martina MacFarlane

Oliver Prcic Elie Jahshan Shaun Ali

Megan Asbil Mahshid Fadaei Dimitri Giannoulis

Anil Yadav Binderya Oyunbaatar Diba Mohebzadeh

Darby-Marie Henshaw Mitchell Stykalo Nathan Stelfox

Crowsnest Pass Studio Introduction Completed throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, our studio group had the opportunity to work with the community of Crowsnest Pass.

Traditionally Professor Francisco Alaniz Uribe’s Professional Planning Studio focuses on a group of neighborhoods in Calgary. This year however the studio looked outside of Calgary for a challenging but rewarding experience.

Crowsnest Pass is found in southern Alberta and is home to one of the five gateways connecting Alberta to the Rocky Mountains and British Columbia. The region is known for its historical past based in a strong resource economy in coal mining. Although this topic has remerged recently the studio chose to leave all coal mining potentials out of the research. This was done to ensure that the final designs and interventions would be strong enough to stand up on their own regardless of the coal mines economic potential.

Crowsnest Pass is a municipal region and community made up of five hamlets totalling 5000 people. The hamlets are spread out along the major transportation corridor of Highway 3. Since the mid 1970s there has been contention with the highway’s alignment through the hamlets and a bypass has been proposed by Alberta Transportation.

Crowsnest Pass has major tourism potential with the nationally recognised Frank Slide exhibit and breath taking mountain views. Some of the additional topics explored by the studio group included: affordable housing, land use changes, public infrastructure, main streets, tourism, parks, trails, and way finding.

Over the semester our group made three site visits to better integrate our ideas into a localised perspective. In addition, we presented to a public steering committee twice, hosted a public open house, and presented to Municipal Council. Working in teams of three remotely, our groups each came up with design interventions to not only alter Crowsnest Pass, but to also improve on elements that are currently working. In the following pages we have highlighted each group’s top interventions, it should be noted this is only scratching the surface of research completed. Below is a link to each group’s full analysis and final documents, most spanning near 100 pages of work. We are proud of the work completed and had an amazing learning experience with the people of Crowsnest Pass. Thank you for the support and for community perspectives to help guide our proposals.

To see the full report from each group please visit: https://sapl.ucalgary.ca/professionalplanningstudio/projects

Community Engagement

SAPL Group Steering Committee

Project Start Up and Background

Walkabout/Site visit meeting with Municipality Early January

SAPL Group Steering Committee Stakeholders

SAPL Group Steering Committee Stakeholders Community

SAPL Group Steering Committee

Inventory and Analysis

Synthesis of Issues Opportunities and Constraints

Preliminary Concepts and Guidelines

Stakeholders Meetings Review of Findings by Steering Committee Early February

Analysis Workshop Web-Based Consultation Early March

Draft Presentations to Steering Committee Mid March

SAPL Group Steering Committee Community

Final Concepts and Guidelines

Final Presentation to Steering Committee Final Open House- Web Based Presentation to the Municipal Planning Commission Web-Based Mid April

The time line for the project was compact and limited to the academic winter term. The project extended from the beginning of January to the end April of 2021. The diagram shows the different groups involved, review dates and public participation opportunities, as well as three site visits.

Our Approach Our approach included background research, inventory and analysis, and an iterative concept development process. The students undertook an in-depth analysis of the community and its surrounding area, and in consultation with the community, derived issues, opportunities and constraints that drove and set the stage for the development of concepts and strategies. These proposed strategies and concepts were based on findings from the analysis and were supported by extensive technical and precedent research.

The work of the students was reviewed by a project Steering Committee that included members from the community, the Municipality and an external academic advisor from the ETH Zürich in Switzerland. He provided a different perspective from another mountainous community, experiencing similar challenges. There were three phases of reviews where students got feedback that helped them adjust and refine their proposals.

Public consultation is a fundamental part of the planning process. It is always the intent of this studio to incorporate community consultation as a key part of the project.

The project included three opportunities for input, a community workshop at the beginning of the project, a presentation to the Municipal Planing Commission and a final open house. Unfortunately due to the Covid19 pandemic all of these events had to be hosted on-line but were well attended.

Guided Site Visit Coleman, Crowsnest Pass

CROWSNEST PASS:

PROPOSAL Ivan Osorio Avila Kristen Mei Martina MacFarlane

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our Team specializes in creative problem solving through design based solutions. We bring a balance of innovation, practicality, and a range of

local and international experience that we can apply to the Crowsnest Pass Master Plan Proposal. Our approach to planning within both the private and public sector has earned us the respect of both urban and rural municipalities, governments and First Nations clients. We make sure to customize solutions to match the needs of our clients.

SPECIAL THANKS We would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to offer valuable feedback throughout the project phases.

Thank you to the University of Calgary and the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass for the ongoing support and collaboration.

Francisco Alaniz Uribe Professor, University of Calgary, School of Architecture, Planning & Landscape Manuel Sudau ETH Zurich, Institute for Spatial and Landscape Development

Crowsnest Pass Steering Committee:

Cam Davidson Bellecrest Community Association Ian Crawford Bellecrest Community Association Joey Ambrosi Frank Slide Interpretive Centre Johan van der Bank Manager of Development & Trades, Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Katherine Mertz Development Officer, Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Sacha Anderson Crowsnest Pass Chamber of Commerce Stephen Burnell Director of Development, Engineering & Operations, Municipality of Crowsnest Pass Terry Hrudey Municipal Planning Commission

Iván Osorio-Avila

Kristen Mei

Martina Macfarlane

Iván is from Mexico, where he studied Product Design at Centro de Diseño, Cine y Televisión, and received a BA in Industrial Design from UAM Azcapotzalco in Mexico City. He has been involved in a number of social innovation, design and entrepreneurship projects, including Fuckup Nights, Search and Rescue Mexico, Start Alberta and the Downtown Calgary Association. He is currently concluding a Master of Planning degree at the University in Calgary in Alberta, Canada and aims to keep working at the intersection of business consulting, community planning and design, as well as adventuring into the outdoors and participating in sustainable tourism projects.

Kristen is a planner who has had prior experience in design, environmental studies, and transportation planning. Her previous work experience has given her a solid foundation in being able to research, design, communicate, and synthesize information. Kristen has a strong passion for sustainable solutions that meet the needs of growing populations, while also adding social value to communities. Her multi-city experiences have continued to shape her passion for sustainability, complete streets, and efficient means of mobility. Kristen is a strong advocate for data driven design solutions as a foundation for every project.

Martina is a planner and researcher at the School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. She was born in Vancouver, lived and learned in a number of different Canadian cities, and came to call Alberta home, completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Since then, she has been involved in community arts projects and instruction, as well as social innovation and research projects in inclusive and affordable housing, community safety, and teaching and learning in the design disciplines.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CROWSNEST PASS AND ITS FUTURE This report documents the work rendered over four months of Analysis, Community Engagement, Concept Drafts and Public Realm Interventions in the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass. The main goal of the project is the creation of a Land Use and Growth Strategy for the future of the Pass, presented in the form of proposed public realm, open space and built environment interventions.

The different values and drivers for these proposals were developed and curated through careful research, analysis and feedback from our instructor, the steering committee and community members of the Pass.

METHODOLOGY AND PROPOSALS Through a lens of participatory design and sustainable practices, we developed a series of COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS and COMMUNITY PLANNING ELEMENTS. This methodology allowed for the creation of both physical and policy-based interventions in four key DESIGN STRATEGIES: • • • •

Main Streets Land Use Trail Network Unique Interventions

Each intervention within each strategy is designed to respect and amplify the essence and identity of the Pass, while allowing adaptable, healthy growth into the future.

DESIGN STRATEGY VISION The Analysis and Engagement processes rendered a deeper understanding of the Pass, its history, current condition and the challenges it faces. Through this lens we defined a vision for the future of the Pass and the goals to bring these concepts to reality.

“The Pass will be a community that embraces its collective identity and values. A place where the built environment works to create a vibrant & resilient community that adapts and responds to the needs of its residents and visitors alike.”

GOALS Through this process we distilled eight Community Development Goals that make up the vision for the future of the Pass. These goals represent the values transmitted by the community, opportunities for growth, and a framework for the design interventions.

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SUBTITLE

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS AUTHENTICITY

ADAPTABILITY

INCLUSIVITY

SUSTAINABILITY

EFFICIENCY

DIVERSITY

RESILIENCY

ACCESSIBILITY

COMMERCIAL Fostering vibrant and useful commercial spaces that support the local economy and capitalize on the historic Main Street buildings and community nodes.

WELLN IAL

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REC & OPEN SPACE Capitalizing on the Pass’ location amongst natural landscape assets sush as PLUZs, Provincial Parks, water bodies and the accessibility to all of these spaces.

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HISTORY Drawing from the Pass’ history and heritage elements to further its story and cultural identity. Respecting its history and using it as a cornerstone for its evolution into the future.

TOURISM Leveraging the Pass’ unique location and history to create a local tourism industry that is aligned with a healthy, vibrant growth strategy.

DESIGN STRATEGY ELEMENTS

SOC

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RESIDENTIAL Creating worthy, quality living spaces that afford housing to the community. Respecting the community´s character and identity through appropriate mass and scale of building typologies. Allowing for healthy, organic, and sustainable densification.

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SOCIAL WELLNESS Developing places and resources that service the community and promote a higher life quality and liveability throughout the Pass.

MOBILITY Ensuring that the built environment, open spaces and services are connected and accessible for everyone in the Pass regardless of transportation mode.

INDUSTRIAL Creating better infrastructure and processes to serve the community and improve its efficiency and sustainability moving forward.

TRAIL NETWORK

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS

In order to fulfill and measure our Community development goals, we outlined 8 elements to use as guiding tools throughout the planning process. Together, these elements can paint a strong picture of each community’s strengths and potential. These elemets help to guide the design intervention process, leading into the strategies for implementation.

These elements represent the general uses of space, social ammenities and quality-of-life needs that the public realm must provide. By keeping these elements as both design constraints and drivers, the data from the Analysis Phase can be better read and transformed into potential interventions.

STRATEGIES Factoring in these Goals with the research, engagement and development of ideas and strategies, we created eight Community Planning Elements that guide the design intervention process and are manifested through four main strategies: Main Streets, Land Use, Trail Network, and Unique Interventions.

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS CROWSNEST PASS

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS

Coleman

Blairmore Frank

Bellevue

Hillcrest Mines

UNIQUE INVERVENTIONS OBJECTIVES The Pass’ unique challenges and potential create opportunities for a number of independent interventions that support the overall narrative.

These range from tourism to infrastructure, to housing support for aging in place, and play a part in this new chapter in the story of the Pass. While these unique interventions are site specific, they have impact across the municipality and are strongly aligned with the community development goals we have set out for the Pass. They help support and supplement the previous three strategies and vision for a healthy Crowsnest Pass.

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS OPPORTUNITIES WELLNESS CENTRE Blairmore RECYCLING FACILITY Frank ARTIST CABINS Coleman

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS FRANK RECYCLING FACILITY During community engagement, residents noted the need for a local recycling facility in the Pass.

Given its existing industrial park and central location within the Pass, Frank proves itself to be a great site for a proposed recycling facility.

Frank could also take from El Cerrito’s recycling facility, which offers community members a convenient way to reduce their environmental impact through organized reuse and recycling programs.

SITE CONTEXT PHOTO VIEW SOUTH

IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES • Expanding Frank’s industrial park • Creating a centralized recycling facility • Integrating direct commuity benefit and engagement in sustainability initiatives

RECYCLING FACILITY - EL CERRITO, CA

RECYCLING FACILITY - EL CERRITO, CA

FRANK RECYCLING FACILITY

RECOMMENDATIONS Beyond typical recycling functions, the facility can also serve as a free community exchange and drop off location for reusable items such as books, outdoor gear, and home and building materials. An extended patio with close mountain views and access to the stream links with the community trail in the east, and also creates a unique user experience for those stopping by.

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Added Trail

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS COLEMAN ARTIST CABINS On the southeast side of Coleman, there is opportunity for artist cabins. Just as the Banff Centre for the Arts attracts creatives to immerse themselves in the mountain experience, artists in residence will be inspired by the character and beauty of the Pass as well as the artisan charm of Coleman.

SITE CONTEXT PHOTO VIEW SOUTHEAST

IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES • Programatic support for existing Coleman artists community • Secluded work environment in nature • Low impact development

BANFF CENTRE FOR THE ARTS - BANFF, AB

BANFF CENTRE FOR THE ARTS - BANFF, AB

COLEMAN ARTIST CABINS RECOMMENDATIONS In the southeastern corner of Coleman, we are proposing the addition of low impact artist cabins that can work to support and strengthen Coleman’s existing arts community, while adding park space for the surrounding community to enjoy as well.

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ARTIST CABINS VIEW SOUTH - AFTER

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OPEN SPACE & STREAM VIEW SOUTH - BEFORE

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With amazing views and a quiet site location, the cabins offer a great opportunity for artist-inresidence programs to fully immerse themselves in nature and the rich cultural heritage of the Pass and work outside their usual environments.

UNIQUE INTERVENTIONS BLAIRMORE WELLNESS CENTRE The Blairmore Wellness Centre reimagines the old York Creek Lodge site, reusing and revitalizing its main building for program and amenity space. New small-scale homes clustered around greenspace and community gardens allow residents the opportunity to enjoy independent living with on-site support and servicing. The centre offers alternative residential typologies for folks aging in place, practicum students or anyone needing a supportive and emersive community environment.

Opportunities for mixed income, mixed tenure or alternative tenure models make the Blairmore Wellness Centre a big contributor to housing diversity in the Pass.

SITE VIEW SOUTHWEST

PRECEDENT - CALGARY, ALBERTA

ADDITIONAL SOUTHERN OPPORTUNITY

PRECEDENT - CALGARY, ALBERTA

OBJECTIVES • Provide flexible, affordable housing solutions for a diverse range of users • Enhance community wellbeing with programming such as art therapy, community gardens • Add to affordable housing stock • Provide alternative and accessible typologies for seniors and other users with mobility needs • Provide an amenity-rich, human-scale village character close to both services and nature

BLAIRMORE WELLNESS CENTRE

RECOMMENDATIONS Development should encourage alternative tenure models and provide housing solutions for a variety of income levels and support needs.

Universal design and accessibility principles should be followed across detailed site development.

Walkability and on-vehicular movement should be prioritized within the development, however wide pathway access should allow for occasional service and emergency vehicles.

Green space should be preserved and supplemented with native plantings, community gardens and opportunities for sustainable food production.

Non-Urban Area NUA-1

Comprehensive Commercial C-3

Residential R-1

Recreation & Open Space RO-1

Multiple Residential R-2A

Direct Control

Grouped Country Residential GCR-1

No Land Use

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WELLNESS CENTRE VIEW OF GARDEN COURTYARD

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Special Use

Regional Growth Strategy

Crowsnest Pass, Alberta

April 29, 2021 Summit Consulting Inc. Oliver Prcic Elie Jahshan Shaun Ali

Interventions 1. Wetland Park 2. Cameron Collage 3. Gondola

Wetland Park Open Space & Mobility are the largest-scale interventions of the Regional Growth Strategy. Recreation is an important aspect to the Crowsnest Pass community and is a major reason why many residents choose to live here. Our proposal adds numerous programmed green spaces to create a network of parks throughout the community, connected by an improved community trail and additional multi-use trail. A notable park addition is the Wetland Park, located on the riparian area between Blairmore and Coleman.

Wetland Park The Wetland Park and Boardwalk is Summit’s cornerstone open space proposal that utilizes a beautiful riparian area located between Blairmore and Coleman. This wetland is just south of the community trail, presenting an opportunity for added connections as well. The team proposes an elevated boardwalk to be built that would run from the trail into the wetland and branch out in two directions as shown in the plan to the right.

Demonstrated by the section details, the boardwalk is designed to be higher than the vegetation and so it would help preserve the land. Additionally, the boardwalk provides the community new and up-close interactions with this local wetland ecological system and ultimately an opportunity for education and conservation programs. This wetland was further researched using Summit’s aerial photography and surveying methods.

Feedback from the community and Steering Committee was highly positive for the Wetland Park.

Wetland Park The top section provides an illustration of the standard boardwalk area that is 1.5 meters above the ground and provides a surface that supports all mobility types. By creating a boardwalk system people who would otherwise be unable to hike into a natural area such as this will now gain access to this amazing asset.

The lower section represents a bump-out area along the board walk. The additional width allows for a bench and for a change to take a break to enjoy the wetland atmosphere.

Wetland Park The Wetland Park and Boardwalk is further illustrated with our teams idea of how the pathway system would connect into the existing community trail. This new park and pathway system would provide a exciting new area of the pass to be explored by all those facinated by ecological and hydrological systems.

Regional Education Alberta is home to many post secondary institutions that span across the province from Lethbridge to Fort McMurray. For many students leaving high school and wanting to pursue a diploma they must at minimum go to class in Lethbridge. Lethbridge is also home to the nearest university providing degrees.

When comparing Crowsnest Pass on a regional scale it seems there is a regional gap in where higher eduction is provided.

Specific education can be oriented toward the local culture.

This has been demonstrated with the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Crowsnest Pass would be able to support a small higher education site that provides additional upgrading for any interested student.

Cameron Collage The historic Cameron school operated as an elementary school for decades beginning in 1919, but has since fallen into disrepair.

The site is large enough to accommodate 19 residential lots however Summit Consulting sees the massive potential of this site and reimagines it as a mixed-use educational centre.

Cameron Collage We propose restoring the original building and constructing 3 additional buildings for the required classroom space.

Townhomes on the east of the site would supply some housing and create a buffer zone with the existing residence while the new building in the southwest would be a multi-family dwelling on upper floors and for classroom expansion on lower floors.

Cameron Collage This is an illustration of how our team envisions the Cameron Collage to look like in a full build out situation. With new park space at the front of the site, students would be greeted with pathways and a restored Cameron School. New medium density town homes can be seen on the far right with front drive garages and second floor balconies. On the far left we can see the new high density building that provides new housing options for students. Lastly in the centre of the image we can see the new school buildings added on to the historical Cameron School.

Palliser Gondola Station Main Street Blairmore currently is framed by a large swath of vacant land on the south side of the street. This is due to the rail road buffer established long ago, creating a 30 meter buffer scar though the community. On the right we can see the buffer at the intersection of 20th ave and 129th street. This is one of the most prominent intersections of the pass and it is lacking on the south end of the street. The open site with rocks surrounding will be the future space of Palliser Gondola Station.

The image on the bottom right shows the exciting area that we are proposing to enhance into a year round park with many street activating amenities. It will be a space that is used and enjoyed for recreation and leisure purposes.

Palliser Gondola Station The Palliser Gondola Station is a transformational development for tourism in Crowsnest Pass that will change the face of Blairmore’s main street. The station is part of a greater Gondola system that will take visitors up to Pass Powderkeg Ski and further into the mountains from Blairmore. The station is equipped with a restaurant and cafe, outdoor seating and rooftop patio, a street-facing plaza, and full bike and car parking.

This will be a focal point of activity on the street, drawing both residents and visitors from across the region. A render of the station shows how it would orient with the view of Powderkeg Ski in the background. The rooftop patio will be available for the public to enjoy food and their favourite beverage in the presence of a new and vibrant main street.

Palliser Gondola Station With a roof top seating and a active patio our front the Palliser Station will become a municipal destination. As see in the previous master plan the site will have on site parking for both cars and bikes.

Trips to the top of the Pass Powder Keg will become an ease for ski activities in the winter along with mountain biking and exploring in the summer. This grand infrastructure project would open up the back country to a much wider swath of mobility types and abilities.

Blairmore Four Season Park The Blairmore Four Season Park is located directly across the street from Palliser Station and provides open space for the public to enjoy all year-round. Two oval-shaped spaces will serve as a green playing field in the summer and can be flooded in the winter to create two half-regulation size rinks. The paved central plaza space will serve as a place for the community to gather for scheduled events or performances. The planted garden offers flora of the Pass on full display in the summer and doubles as a firepit in the winter.

Summit Gondola Station The Summit Gondola Station is the terminal station from Blairmore and is located at the top of the Powderkeg Ski hill.

The station has washrooms, a cafe and light restaurant. This strategic location gives great access for users of the ski hill, but also acts as a starting point for explorers of the area south of the station. A new gravel trail is proposed that takes visitors on a scenic tour of the landscape, assorted with lookout decks for beautiful vistas of Crowsnest Pass and the Rockies. The path ends at a large lookout deck and small hospitality zone equipped with cabins for rent. These hike-in only cabins provide a getaway from the urban areas of Crowsnest Pass, offering visitors a tranquil and unique mountain cabin experience.

Crowsnest Pass

Planning Analysis & Recommendations SPIRITED COMMUNITY PLANNING PLAN630 - Advanced Professional Planning Studio Instructor: Francisco Alaniz Uribe April 24, 2021 Megan Asbil

Mahshid Fadaei

Image: https://www.myeastkootenaynow.com/

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Dimitri Giannoulis

Executive Summary Crowsnest Pass is a Municipality located on the western border of Alberta along Highway 3. This route is an important corridor, but the municipality is somewhat distant from the major centres of Lethbridge and Calgary. The Municipality of Crowsnest Pass (MCNP) is made up of five major communities: Coleman, Blairmore, Frank, Bellevue, and Hillcrest. These five communities all have a unique character that distinguishes them from one another, yet they all face challenges for future growth and development. The MCNP is rich in environmental features and heritage assets, which can be leveraged for local enjoyment and tourism. After a period of population decline, the population is now expected to grow significantly based on the latest Municipal Development Plan. Our project aims to create solutions to address the pressing issues MCNP faces.

Our project started with an analysis phase and a community open house which gave us an understanding of the site, the municipality’s strengths, risks, and opportunities.

Along with our site visits, we’ve been able to gain a strong understanding of the site, which has allowed us to create a set of recommendations related to land use, mobility, parks and open space, and main streets.

The project focuses on ‘Sites of Opportunity’ and creating systems that work together. We are leveraging main streets as areas of multiple benefits and have created solutions that incorporate community input. This document contains general and site specific interventions that will assist with MCNP’s future development including: improvements to the public realm, infrastructure, and commercial main streets; and addresses housing needs, heritage assets, mobility, and park networks.

This project is the result of an academic exercise between the University of Calgary’s Advanced Professional Planning Studio, with 2nd year planning students, and the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, including members of the steering committee as well as community members. This document includes: a thorough site analysis (using site data and statistical data), community input, and student recommendations.

Page 2

About the Firm

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Zeitgeist Planning Consultancy (ZPC) is the name of our fictitious ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz planning firm which we’ve imagined as being an ambitious up0123456789!?&*#$%(-)[_]/,. and-coming planning consultancy. Our company is founded SPIRITED COMMUNITY PLANNING on the notion of sustainable low impact community growth, facilitating re-development and revitalization of existing communities. We believe in organic growth, and look at the development project as if it is a live organism struggling to achieve balance and harmony. We ensure planning is based on community and stakeholder engagement and work with designated steering committees to identify key issues and concerns. We address these issues by creating empowering solutions that bring back community independence and self sufficiency.

Our success is primarily rooted in our commitment to accommodate sustainability from all aspects.Our work strives to provide solutions for environmental conservation while activating places in terms of economic and social diversity.

ZPC is composed of a highly professional team of various backgrounds, with a diverse set of skills. Our team shares a common agenda advocating for sustainable development.

Our values include low impact development, environmental conservation, economic growth, and high-quality social life. Therefore, we plan for community revitalization through flexible and strategic growth to meet ever-changing longterm and short term needs, and build opportunities for future improvement.

About the Team Zeitgeist Planning Consultancy is comprised of three Master of Planning candidates at the School of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape at the University of Calgary. Megan, Dimitri, and Mahshid each have unique skills and passions within planning.

Megan Asbil - BArch, MPlan With an undergraduate degree in architecture, Megan is interested in the built environment. She has a passion for activating community through engagement, and environmental justice. Megan has previously worked in airport planning, and has gained experience with working with community groups and stakeholders.

Dimitri Giannoulis - BSc., MPlan Dimitri has an undergraduate degree in geography which is the basis for his interest in the spatial relations between people and spaces. His work with Business Improvement Areas in Calgary has engaged his interest in making walkable and fun mainstreets. Transportation is an additional realm of knowledge.

Mahshid Fadaei - BA., M.A, MPlan Mahdhid comes from a design rich background, and is passionate about exploring the intersection between urban planning and architecture.

She has long-term experience working on and researching affordable housing and participatory architecture. She won the 54th edition of the WorldArchitecture Prize for an architectural design of a workingclass housing complex in 2016. She also has a great passion for resilient community growth and low impact development.

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MDM Center & Housing MDM Centre Introduction

Bellevue

Bellevue Main street

Hotel Site, Coleman MDM Centre Housing + School Adaptation

Bellevue

Site

Site

Site

MDM Center

Coleman Hillcrest

Hillcrest

Figure 91: Context Cameron SchoolMap Site

Blairmore main street

The MDM Centre is a building located centrally in Bellevue (context map: Figure 91), with a playground and open field.

The MDM Centre was previously a school, but is now used by various community groups. It exists as an excellent example of adaptively reusing existing buildings, but it is not currently being used to its full capacity. New adaptations are thus Site possible to optimize the use of the building. The municipally Site owned field surrounding the site can also be repurposed: it is severely underutilized because there are no facilities or amenities there and the surface is too uneven for most sporting Coleman Blairmore activities. The existing building and undeveloped field are both assets that are centrally located in Bellevue, and Municipal ownership is an asset for instigating action on the site for the benefit of the community. Also, the site will be connected Rec Centre Hillcrest Main Street to Bellevue’s family-oriented main street by our proposed mobility network. Our recommendation for this space has three components. First, an adaptation of part of the MDM Centre to include dormitories for several economic benefits. Second, Bellevue add recreational amenities to a portion of the field. Third, develop family-oriented housing in the remaining portion of the field. Due to the size of the site, phasing has been made an important consideration.

The economic, recreational, and Site residential additions will complement each other and ensure that the full potential of the site is unlocked.

Site

Frank heritage bldgs Future Development Areas

Seating area

Site

Frank

Future Development Areas

Gathering area Playing Open Space

Frank trail improvements Community Garden

Frank

Site

Picnic area

Site

Blairmore

Site Plan

Hillcrest

No structural changes are proposed for the MDM Centre in this site plan; the internal adaptations and discussion for phasing will occur separately. The recreational additions include a community garden, picnic area, firepit seating area, gathering Centreopen space area with a small outdoor stage, and Info improved for free play. We also recommend landscaping the park with Page 4 strategically placed trees to add enclosure

0 Figure 92: MDM Center and Housing, Plan View Bellevue

Hillcrest community garden example

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M

without making the park feel claustrophobic or inaccessibly. These park additions are relatively inexpensive but will add variety to the park amenities and attract a diverse range of users. The elements of the park will be connected together with the MDM Centre and residential area by pathways.

Before Image by M.Fadaei, 2021

Four lots of residential development are demonstrated in the site plan as Phase 1 of development; there are five additional lots that could be developed in subsequent phases (shown as brown boxes). Phasing is recommended on the site because housing demand will increase gradually over time, not overnight. Additionally, future development may be tailored more appropriately to future needs which may not yet be foreseen. In the present, affordable family-oriented housing was expressed as a need by the community. Therefore, we recommend infill development of approximately 48 new 2-4 bedroom dwellings in Phase 1. These would be row houses and stacked townhouses because they are more affordable than new single-detached houses but are more familyfriendly than apartment buildings. These units would help diversify and balance Bellevue’s housing mix which is almost entirely single-detached dwellings. We also recommend that the housing units be designed with solar photovoltaic panels in mind: even if they are not installed at the time of construction, the architecture of a building matters if future residents choose to install panels - this is one of the sunniest residential locations in the Crowsnest Pass based on our analysis.

Before & After This perspective shows how the scale of the new residential units would be experienced on the site: the new units would increase the number of new homes without sacrificing the human-scale feeling of the street. Also, getting a glimpse of the park, you can see that an abundance of park space is maintained, but it is made more appealing by the addition of amenities, trees, and human activity.

After Figure 93: Family-Oriented Infill Development

Page 5

on: Overnight Fieldtrip Destination

public schools in southern Alberta (Gr. 4-12) ht stays in MDM Centre classrooms toAdditions dorms Potential of MDM Centerconverted Dormitory s to heritageWeand natural destinations propose renovations within the MDM Centre to generate additional

use value from an existing building in an affordable and innovative way. The primary renovation will be to convert unused classrooms on the second floor to dorm rooms, but upgrading the 4. Economic Opportunities kitchen and front entrance may also support the initiative. We have identified four beneficial uses for the dorm rooms: for public school visits, university program visits, summer camps, and for Sinister 7 visitors.

Context

4.2 Education: Overnight Fieldtrip Destination MDM

Precedent: Kamp Kiwanis Precedent: Outdoor School

Centre Features

Kamp Kiwanis Outdoor School

During the school year, public schools from across southern Alberta and BC would be invited to stay in the dorm rooms and partake in • Trip for public schools in southern Alberta (Gr. 4-12) a programmed educational experience.

Existing destinations suchconverted as the nearby Leitch Collieries, Bellevue Underground Mine Tour, and • Overnight stays in MDM Centre classrooms to dorms Frank Slide Interpretive Centre would make great educational visits, boosting visitor numbers in the off-season. The new park amenities • Day trips to heritage and natural destinations would also be perfect for the kids to utilize. Meals could be prepared in the kitchen or catered by a local business.

Gymnasium

Precedent:

A steering committee member explained that University groups from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and maybe even beyond have been known Kamp Kiwanis Outdoor School Context MDM Centre Features to visit the Crowsnest Pass because it is a rich field learning opportunity for archaeology, geology, paleontology, history and more. By Bellevue actively reaching out to universities and enticing them with affordable accommodations, more groups could be attracted. An intangible Gymnasium benefit of giving primary school and university students a chance to stay in the Crowsnest Pass and learn about its rich character is that Used by community, it leaves a lasting positive impression. A tangible benefit are the dollars they spend on main street on their free time!

Former Classrooms

Former Classrooms but most of building Kitchen We heard from community members that there is a lack of child care facilities. Overnight and full-day summer camps for local and nonBellevue

Site

by community, isUsed underutilized

local children would easily be accommodated if local as camp counsellors. The camps could be affordable butan most of buildingoption for Site staff were hired Kitchen local working parents during the summer. is underutilized

portunities

Field and Playground Field and Playground

‘Sinister event that draws an incredible surge of visitors, overwhelming local accommodations for a ight Fieldtrip Destination Highway 3 7’ is a major annual marathon Highway 3 short period of time. We heard that the Municipality allows camping in designated areas as a pop-up accommodation solution, so it ols in southern Alberta (Gr. 4-12) is reasonable assume that visitors would also be willing to stay in Stage a dorm room. This would generate upfront revenue and also help MDM Centre classrooms converted to to dorms support the event which has great value for the Crowsnest Pass e and natural destinations

Stage 0

Legend

<all other values>

0

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0.3

0.15

0.3

0.6

0.6

Kamp Kiwanis. (2020). Kamp Kiwanis Facebook Page.

0.9 Kilometers

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

MDM Centre - Present Day

xt

Centre - Present Day

Field and Playground Stage 0

0.15

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3. Hire local staff 1. Turn classrooms into dorm rooms 4. Plan programming and fieldtrips

5. Invite school groups from BC/Alberta 2. Establish a meal room

LocalKiwanis.

Benefits Figure 94: Kamp Kiwanis Promotional Image. (Kamp Kiwanis Kamp (2020).

Kamp Kiwanis Facebook Page.

Facebook Page, 2020)

Increase Visitor Numbers Local Benefits in Kamp the Spring/Fall Kiwanis explains their programs on

their website.

Located west of Calgary, they offer various educational outdoor experiences with on-site lodging and meal Spending onlearning Attraction preparation. Seven months of the year they offer 2-5 night Admission, ininTown stays for kids grades 4-8. They teach kids about nature in an engaging, outdoor environment. They also offer summer camps for grades 4-11, Positive Impression onband retreats, and more.

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

Giannoulis, D. (2021).

Present Day

021).

Transformation Strategy 2. Establish a meal room

Used by community, but most of building is underutilized

Kitchen

way 3

Transformation Strategy

1. Turn classrooms into dorm rooms

Former Classrooms Site

Precedent: Kamp Kiwanis Outdoor School

MDM Center Features MDM Centre Features

Gymnasium

llevue

0.9 Kilometers

Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

Where:

3. Hire local staffLocal Benefits

What: Transformation Strategy

• Bellevue • MDM Centre building 1. Turn classrooms • MDM Centre field

2. Establish a

Why:

Increase Visitor • Numbers Recreational enjoyment of the park in the Spring/Fall • Maximize the capacity of the MDM Centre

4. Plan programming and fieldtrips

• Adding new park amenities • New community into dorm roomsgarden • New family-oriented dwellings • Zones for future development meal room Spending • Adapting the MDM building for dorm rooms

3. Hire local staff Page 6

Kamp Kiwanis. (2020). Kamp Kiwanis Facebook Page.

• Attract visitors for tourism and area awareness • Families can benefit from the park amenities on Attraction • Families can benefit from lower-cost dwellings Admission, in• Town Produce local food in gardens

5. Invite school groups from BC/Alberta

4. Plan programming and fieldtrips 5. Invite school groups from BC/Alberta

Positive Impression on Young Albertans

Increase Visitor Numbers in the Spring/Fall

Young Albertans

Spending on Attraction Admission, in Town 18

How: • • • • •

Rezone the land to accommodate the desired units Invest in park upgrades Planning Consultancy Invest in MDM adaptations Design educational programs Market the MDM Centre programs

Positive Impression on Young Albertans TITLE FONT: Gill Sans [Bold]

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SPIRITED COMMUNITY PLANNING

18

Recreation Centre

Site Coleman

A Definitive Hub for Recreation Constructed in 1955, the Albert Stella Memorial Arena was permanently closed in 2019 due to structural issues (Benning, 2019). Skateboarding, wall climbing, lacrosse, soccer, and gymnastics were all previously enjoyed there, and many of these activities have no similar facilities in the municipality.

Our proposed intervention will replace the lost amenities and add new amenities, solidifying the location as an emboldened recreation hub.The new recreation centre will not be built on the old parcel of the Albert Stella Arena, but across the field in order to better accommodate the Pass Powderkeg Ski Area.

The direct adjacency to Pass Powderkeg is key for leveraging the full potential of the site. Our proposal does not dictate any changes on school property, although we have been mindful of the school in our designs, and there are obvious benefits of locating a school and recreation centre side-by-side.

Where • Blairmore: Albert Stella Memorial Arena • Adjacent Isabelle Sellon School • Adjacent Pass Powderkeg Ski Area What • Indoor and outdoor recreation amenities • Hotel: 40-50 rooms • Space for Pass Powderkeg Use • Commercial/restaurant space • Daycare • Mixed-income residential development: 35-42 units Why • Replace the lost recreation centre amenities • Grow the tourism industry • Capitalize with commercial space • Alleviate housing stress in Blairmore • Perfect location next to Pass Powderkeg, the School • All-season recreation How • Potential Provincial grant • Fund construction through residential development • Fund operations through hotel, recreation centre revenue • Reduced maintenance cost for outdoor amenities • Partner closely with Pass Powderkeg to find synergies • Connect centre via the Active Transportation Network

Site

Frank

Site Blairmore

Capitalizing on Road Location, the Great Divide Trail, and a Unique Heritage Building

Rec Centre

Hillcrest Main Street

Frank trail improvements

Bellevue Frank

Site

Site Site

Site Blairmore Hillcrest

Soccer Field Info Centre Bellevue

Hillcrest community garden example

Site

Site Coleman

Hotel above

Climbing

Supp for PPK

Hillcrest

Base of Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill Isabelle Sellon School

Rec Center Site

Housing Site

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50

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M

Figure 103: A plan-view map of the proposed tourism information centre Vehicle access from 19 Ave helps avoid residential road traffic, and residential garage access is maintained. There is pedestrian access from multiple directions, including the base of Pass Powderkeg, and a bike lane connects to the site. At the base of Pass Powderkeg, we observed people parking informally on the grass and socializing. We propose formalizing the parking stalls and adding a small picnic area. There are 72 parking stalls in this plan with additional underground parking for the hotel. The main parking area acts as a spatial buffer between the recreation centre and the adjacent houses. Also, the height of the hotel is subtle because of its attachment to the centre. The proposed residential development is in a desirable location: proximal to a school, main street, ski hill, and recreation centre. The units should be evenly split between high-end, moderate, and controlled affordable housing units: benefiting low income families with the location benefits and the luxury units will help fund the project.

Page 7

Before: A Prime Location Underutilized

Six Components in Symbiosis The six major components of the site are: indoor recreation facilities, outdoor recreation amenities, a hotel, facilities that support Pass Powderkeg, commercial spaces, and new residential development.

The indoor recreation facilities provide all-ages and all-weather opportunities for recreation, while the outdoor amenities offer drop-in friendly opportunities that are always available and affordable. The outdoor amenities will be adjacent to large windows on the building to foster vibrancy. The hotel will be attached to the recreation centre, offering 40-50 rooms (4 floors of rooms, lobby on the ground floor).

Including a hotel will help fund the initial construction and contribute to ongoing revenue for the recreation centre operations.

(D. Giannoulis)

After: An All-Season Wonderland for Locals and Visitors

Figure 104: A perspective: Winter at the recreation centre Figure 104 shows how the space can be enjoyed in the winter. The ski runs are highly visible, creating a unique sense of place. The outdoor area will be blocked from the westerly winds by the building, and fire pits are a popular way of encouraging winter outdoor socializing.

Page 8

The hotel and the recreation centre will benefit because guests will be able to use the facilities. Data and community members have indicated that hotel rooms are in need in the municipality, but that the winter months can be slow. By placing the hotel adjacent to indoor facilities and Pass Powderkeg, winter visitors will be attracted. The manager of Pass Powderkeg, Katherine Seleski, explained how improvements to the ski area since 2017 have tripled ridership numbers, but there is still unlocked potential (Personal communication, March, 2021). Seleski explained that additional services and rooms could benefit the ski hill, particularly for their growing niche of hosting events, but the expansions to the existing lodge would be difficult. Thus, we propose that the portion of the recreation centre closest to Pass Powderkeg could help provide some of the necessary services and spaces, including a restaurant and day care (which would also benefit the recreation centre users). The other ongoing sources of revenue and local employment would include a cafe under the hotel and user admissions, which could even turn the recreation centre into a direct source of revenue for the municipality, instead of an expense.

However, the upfront construction cost of the facility would be expensive; we propose using the Albert Stella Memorial Arena parcel for residential development as a win-win-win solution. Win #1: the development will help fund the recreation centre. Win #2: it will help add housing stock to Blairmore’s stressed market. Win #3: Future residents will be close proximity to the recreation amenities, Blairmore’s main street, and Isabelle Sellon School. The trade-off is by sacrificing space, however, we assert that it is not about the quantity of space, it is about the quality of the space. Figure 103 shows how outdoor amenities can be added while open field space by the school and a full-size soccer field can be maintained. In summary, the six major components of the space are not isolated systems, but highly interconnected and mutually benefiting.

Precedent:The Boulevard, Saanich BC This precedent was used as a reference for the building size, lot coverage, and vehicle access. Each two-storey block of buildings includes 5-6 units with on-street unit access and attached garages. Based on this precedent, the development proposed could contribute 35-42 units, or approximately 65-90 residents. The pathway connection is another notable addition by the developer.

Figure 104: Townhouses and vehicle access to parking (Google Streetview, 2018)

Figure 105: The Boulevard townhouses and pathway connection (Google Streetview, 2018)

Commercial Space, Indoor Facilities, Outdoor Amenities

Integrating but Differentiating the Hotel from the Centre

Precedent: Rocky Mountain, Calgary This precedent shows how indoor climbing facilities can include a climbing wall on the building exterior. Apart from recreation, it would make the building easily identifiable and visually marketable. For security, access is from the 2nd floor.

Outdoor Climbing Wall Hotel above

Hotel

Run/Walk Circuit

Climbing

Access for Pass Powderkeg (PPK)

e of Pass rkeg Ski Hill

Skatepark Supp for PPK Daycare

Restaurant

Pool Picnic Family Skate

Gymnasium Hockey Rink

0

50

100 m

Figure 106: A plan of the recreation centre programming

Figure 107: (Facing southeast) 3D isometric diagram of the facility

Where Indoor and Outdoor Fun Meet

A Closer Look at the Recreation Centre The locations of indoor and outdoor amenities were carefully considered. In Figures 106 to 108, blue represents public indoor spaces, green represents public outdoor spaces, and red represents commercial spaces. The recreation centre would include a gymnasium, pool, daycare, fitness centre, and wall climbing (partially indoor, partially outdoor). We encourage extra consideration for community members with disabilities for an accessible site and building design, as well as for the services/programs provided in the facility. Figure 107 shows how the middle part of the building would be a tall one-storey area (8 metres), but the ends of the building would include 2-storeys within that 8-metre height. Outside, there is a hockey rink, family skating area (grass in the summer), picnic area, skatepark, soccer field, and run/walk circuit. The hockey rink could be used for lacrosse or basketball in the summer.

Installing a roof over a portion of the skatepark (not pictured) would help maximize its usable number of days a year. The run/walk circuit would be great for adults and seniors: A full loop can be done without having to cross a road, and there would be interesting activities to watch while you run. The placement of the picnic area and walking/running circuit by the skatepark and hockey rink would help mix the age groups of users.

Figure 109: Outdoor climbing wall at Rocky Mountain (Calgary Climbing Centre, n.d.)

Precedent: Elevation Place, Canmore Elevation Place includes a climbing gym, pool, fitness centre, library, art gallery, and more (Town of Canmore, n.d.). The centre serves locals and visitors, responding to and enhancing the mountain recreation culture of the area. Climbing is a popular activity for young adults: this would attract them, a key economic age group.

Figure 108: (Facing southwest) 3D isometric diagram of the facility

Figure 110: Elevation Place (Town of Canmore, n.d.)

Page 9

Blairmore Main Street We have considered Blairmore as the main commercial and tourism node. However, its main street is only active on one side and community members have mentioned that the proximity to the train creates an unpleasant experience. We recommend creating a linear park on the south side of 20 Ave. This linear park will create a buffer between the main street and the train tracks, activate both sides of the street, add a diversity of park types, create options for nightlife, foster more cultural experiences, and add extra parking to the area.

Blairmore Main Street Plan

Plaza & Food Truck Spaces

Train Inspired Skate Park

Old Maude Heritage Point

“Ecology of the Pass” Garden

Gazebo Plaza Artist’s Garden Art Park

0

Linear Park: Life on Both Sides We recommend creating a diversity of park types along the main street, starting with an entry plaza at the Green Hill Hotel. Currently this location is a popular stop for food trucks; within this plaza space we suggest creating food truck parking spots and with various seating and table options. We also suggest adding interesting pedestrianoriented light features. This plaza will create an area for people to gather throughout the day, enhance the main street’s nightlife and build off of events taking place on the main street.

Page 10

100

200

m

At Old Maude we suggest an open air covered structure to protect the locomotive from the elements, while also creating a seating area and ‘Heritage Point’. The ‘Heritage Point’ can be a space where visitors can learn about the train history of the Pass while enjoying the park space.

Next to Old Maude we recommend a railway inspired skate park which will showcase this community’s history while bringing in a younger age group.

Other suggestions for the linear park can include an ‘Ecology of the Pass’ garden which can highlight the local vegetation and act as another informal learning area. To the east end of the street, at 133 St, we suggest a connection with Gushal Studio south of the tracks, by creating an Art Park and artist’s garden where artists from Gushal Studio can showcase their work through murals, sculptures, and other mediums.

Further east along the linear park, new parking areas will allow for the main street to accept more visitors without inconveniencing locals.

Depending on the amount of parking added, these parking lots can be used to remove on street parking. On street parking could then be used as outdoor patio space for restaurants and could lead to a more pedestrian friendly main street.

Gazebo Park is a popular central gathering spot, so our last recommendation is to enhance the assets of the space and design it to be a focal point for events. Gazebo Park can include a spill out plaza that will be central for large events that take place during street closures. This spill out plaza space can be implemented simply by painting the road the same as the plaza space, as shown in the perspective.

Food Truck Plaza (Before & After)

Before Google Streetview. (2014)

After

Gazeebo Park (Before & After)

Before Google Streetview. (2014)

After

Figure 111: Before and after park and plaza ideas Page 11

Blairmore Main Street Section With Improvements

Functional Diagrams (Before & After) Before

0

100

200 m

100

200 m

After

5m

3m

~8m

5.5m

1.7m

2.2m

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Multi-use Path

Parking

Road

Angled Parking

Buffer

Bike Lane

Sidewalk

Commercial

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10m

Figure 112: New street conditions.

Through this intervention we are able to increase the amount of vegetation and trees on the street, maintain onstreet parking while also increasing the amount of parking spaces, activate both sides of the street and increase pedestrian and bike connections. The linear park can become an expansion of the community trail, connecting the trail to amenities.

Page 12

Bike

Pedestrian

Park

Commercial Frontages

Trees/Shrubs

Figure 113: Functional diagrams showing before ad after conditions of the road.

Current Street Condition

Where:

What:

• Blairmore main street

• Create a linear park along the main street

Why:

How:

• • • • •

• Negotiate with CP Rail for access to that land • Utilize underused space

Enhance trail, bike, and pedestrian connections Activate both sides of the street Diversify the types of parks in the area Create a central area for community gathering Create a buffer between train tracks

Precedent:The Elgin Street Greenway Sudbury, Ontario is starting a similar project where they are implementing a linear park along a historic main street in their downtown that faces train tracks. Sudbury’s plans are to create a buffer from the train, enhance the public realm, and add parking to the downtown core. The Elgin Greenway, their linear park, is meant to create different park experiences and the plazas and parkspace interact with what is taking place across the street. The sections that have already been completed have seen an increase in use since the implementation.

The Elgin Street Greenway - Sudbury, Ontario

City of Greater Sudbury. (2014). Elgin St Greenway - Overall Concept Plan

Page 13

CROWSNEST PASS the space between

PLAN 630. Advanced Professional Planning Studio | Winter 2021| SAPL | University of Calgary Anil Yadav. Binderya Oyunbaatar. Diba Mohebzadeh

UNA CONSULTANCY “THE REMEMBERED LAND”

THE TEAM

Binderya Oyunbaatar Binderya is a soon-to-be graduate from the SAPL at the University of Calgary as a planner. Having a background in Geography and Environmental Sciences, she has a passion for nature conservation, parks and protected areas, and regional development. Binderya has prior experience in international nature conservation NGO where she was involved with extensive ecoregional assessment, policy development, stakeholder engagement, training and capacity building for public and private sectors. She would like to extend her knowledge and experience in adaptability and resilience of communities and regional developments.

2

Anil Yadav Anil has a keen interest in planning and designing for environmental sustainability.

He previously worked extensively on research and planning for urban water and waste management in India, Asia and across the global south. He is also an active urban sketcher and likes to draw live and vibrant places. He has Bachelor’s degree in Physical Planning from the School of Planning and Architecture, New Delhi, India and is currently pursuing Master of Planning from the University of Clagary.

Diba Mohebzadeh Diba’s journey began by studying B.Arch with the hope of building empathic architecture.

After working in Malaysia and Dubai, she came across the term Urban design, which led her to study M.Plan. Through both degrees, she would like to introduce innovative yet functional memorable journies for her visitors.

VISION We envision Crowsnest Pass as a destination for tourists who seek appreciation of its rich heritage and explore the endless outdoor adventures. Our goal is to promote tourism and enhance the existing uniques features of each communities for its residents and welcome more residents and visitors to the Pass.

APPROACH Parks and

ty

en op

Mob ili

spac

e

s

• Enhancing the existing open spaces • Provide dog parks and activy areas • Propose new trails connecting to major historical nodes

• Connecting the five communities • Making highly accessible for all • Promoting sustainable and low cost solutions

Prom o tin

Hous in

g

g

diversity

mainstree

ts

• Pedestrian oriented design • Introducing green spaces • Celebrating the existing heritage

g tourism

Enhanc in

• Range of housing options in size and price • Reach sustainable medium density by intensification and infill • Innovative housing design Crowsnest Lake, January 2021 Photo by Binderya Oyunbaatar 7

MOBILITY

What we heard • Lack of adequate public transit system for residents and visitors • Unsafe intersections and pedestrian crossings • Absence of safe and reliable walking and biking pathways for all • Expensive rental cabs.

What we are proposing sustainable and low cost solutions

Connectivity Linking all five communities and areas of interest through free public transit and dedicated trails

Accessibility Making key commercial nodes and historic route easily and highly accessible for all

Green commute Enchancing trips on walking, biking and transit to reduce environmental impact

Current state of exisitng infrastructure

Main street Blairmore showing wide street with and store from parking

Bellevue main street section, showing absence of dedicated bikepaths and walkways

Intersection of Highway 3 and 40. Commercial stores on both sides, having no walk and bike paths and unsafe intersection design

Residential street in Coleman

Hillcrest commercial centre showing Canada post and Cafe

Store front walkways in Blairmore

Public transit Coleman

Blairmore

Frank Breckenridge, CO

Free bus service The proposal of free bus service is to encourage residents and visitors to shift to public transit by bringing viable options for commute in the Pass. Charge free service will be made easily accessible by connecting key nodes and places of interest throughout the Pass. One can easily be informed on routes, timing, and location while using a mobile app. Having access to a free bus service is not only a reliable mode of transit but also a sustainable solution.

2

60

Km

Decrease in pollution level is less likely to effect wildlife in this environmental sensitive zone of the Canadian Rockies. Large parcels of land currently used for parking of vehicles can be retained and bought back to people by transforming into green and fun spaces for seniors and kids.

The bus stops will have solar power heating bus shelters to protect passengers from strong winds and cold.

Bus route

Bellevue

Hillcrest Mines

Source: Esri, Maxar, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Co

Crowsnest Pass Community trails The existing network of community trails is widely used by people of all age groups for commute, recreational purposes and to enjoy the Crowsnest Pass Heritage route. However, its reach to unique attractions, places of interest and availibility of pedestrian amenities such as trees, restrooms, and street lights needs further improvements for a complete user experience.

The proposed expansion of community trail is intended to connect all areas of interest including some of the important sites that are currently missing such as the Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill, Crowsnest Pass Golf Course, downtown areas of Coleman, Blairmore and Bellevue, Crowsnest Pass Meuseum and other lcoations. Once implemented, one can easily reach more than 25 locations throughout the pass just on foor or bike. Implementation of proposed trails will take place in two phases. Phase I includes priority routes shown in continous red color and Phase II in dashed.

Coleman main street Coleman manin street on Highway 3 is an important destination housing key commercial and public institutions. The existing state of Crowsness Pass Highway in Coleman is a huge issue raised in community workshop due to poor street design. It is devoid of qualities of a good public realm leading to missed economic opportunities on main street. Redevelopement of this section of Highway 3 will attract businesses and provide an important connectivity to users

Hig

hw ay 3

Pedestrian pathway BIke path Proposed commercial

who are pedestrians and cyclists commuting to School and work in Coleman. The proposed design is also an integral part of the Crowsnest Pass community trail network connecting many areas of interest in Coleman. The proposed bus route on this section will be highly benefitted from the new street design, it will not only simply accessibility to public transit but also improve last mile connectivity that will lead to a successful model of transit services.

Hig

hwa

y3

Coleman main street section

Pedestrian realm 5m

Bike Lane 1.5 m

Highway 3 6.7 m

Parking 6.7 m

21 m

46.4 METRES COLEMAN MAIN STREET SECTION LOOKING EAST

Bike Pedestrian Lane Realm 1.5 m

4m

Pedestrian realm 4m

Reimagining main street Standing right in front of petro Canada looking towards east in Coleman. This illustration shows extension of existing hotel with commercial stores on the ground floor and tourist accommodation on the second floor. The proposed street design includes segregated bike and walkways along active store frontages with high permeability, and porosity. Street trees, pockets of green spaces and pedestrian amenities are to enhance user experience and also as safety measure.

Bellevue Eastern circuit The special topic for our team is to enhance the existing historic route by revitalizing the Bellevue main street and improving the connection to Hillcrest and Frank Interpretive Centre. Being in close proximity to the Frank interpretive centre, we believe the circuit will function as a bridge to bring more people to Bellevue and Hillcrest main streets by improved trail system, making it a eastern hub of the Pass.

This circuit will take people along the historic route which is now connected to series of public spaces including the ice cream plaza, playground and the downtown street that provides an exciting public realm qualities and vibrant urban space. Visitors arriving in Bellevue downtown will have the opportunity to visit the shops and open squares, and stay in a hotel accommodation.

Bellevue concept design

Bellevue Main Street To Hillcrest Ice cream shop

To Frank Interpretive Centre

Playground

Plaza R oa d typ es P ri m a ry roa d U rb a n roa d Oth er roa d Tra i l s Crowsn est Com m u n i ty Tra i l R a i l wa y H i g h wa y rea l i g n m en t Strea m s 1,000

m

Town of Pincher Creek, GeoEye, Maxar

To Underground mine tour

Retail & Hostel

3.4.2 Bellevue main street The view-scape of the Turtle Mountain presents a great opportunity to expand and improve the existing public spaces with parks, plaza shops, and restaurant patios. The main street a has a great connection to the rest of the community. There is a beautiful alleyway across the ice cream shop that goes all the way to the end of the community to the west.

Current state

Ice cream plaza Bellevue main street cross section

SECTION

Bellevue main street cross section

Pedestrian realm 4.5 m

Bike Lane 1.5 m

Parking

Road lane

2m

3.5 m

Road lane 3.5 m

20 metres public right of way Bellevue main street section looking south

Parking 2m

Bike Lane 1.5 m

Pedestrian realm 4.5 m

132 km Trails 132 km Existing Proposed Parks Existing Trails Proposed Existing Parks Trails Proposed Parks

132 km

km 57 km Proposed Trails 57 km Proposed Trails Proposed57 Trails CNP Train CNP Train CNP Train Total Trail Distance : 189 km Total Trail: 189 Distance + Total Trail Distance km : 189 km +

OPEN SPACES AND TRAILS

Current Park Status Current Park Status Current Park Status Current park status Source: Census 2016

What we heard • • • • • •

+

Lack to no trail signage Minimum winter trail maintenance The highway is not accessible by walking and biking Lack of pedestrian safety Lack of dog parks and linear parks Lack of lighting

12 12 124 4 414 14 14

Community Parks Pocket/ Linear Neighbourhod Community Parks Pocket/ Linear Neighbourhod Community ParksNeighbourhod Pocket/ Linear Park Parks Park Parks Park Parks

What we are proposing accessible open areas for everyone

Enhancement • Improving the existing parks based on the needs and demands • Provide safety and CPTED (Criminal Prevention Through Environmental Design) methods

Activity Nodes • Provide parks with different annual and age range activities • Introduce a journey through parks to promote movement of the residents

Connectivity • Provide paths to historical locations for a historical timeline for better tourist promotion • Extend paths between hamlets for pedestrian safety

Hillcrest

60% hardscape 40% softscape The dog stage Water-pond

nue A

4

3

A

Crowsnest Pass Animal Shelter

Some of the amenities of this park includes: • • • •

2

1

9 Ave

8 Avenue

If we walk further towards the North of the community, the Hillcrest animal shelter is where our friendly fur babies are re-homed into a new family or go on a temporary vacation. By introducing a dog park right next to this shelter, all the dogs in the community could benefit from fresh air and a little play date time! The park is located adjacent to 9th avenue with improved walking and biking pathways.

By providing 375 m2 and an all year around dog park.

9A ven ue

8 Avenu

e

Proposed dog park

Current Site Situation

Proposed Dog Park 1

60% Hardscape

2

40% Softscape

3

The Stage

4

Water-pond walking / Biking Trail

Proposed Site Plan

Park Information Total Area : 375 m2 All Year Round Park 10 People Capacity

Park Location 1 Kilometers

Along with the basic needs of safety such as lighting to provide unique and important attention which your dogs while playing fetch by the elevated stage.

Pathways and trails have been adjusted based on the required measurements to allow a cyclist and a pedestrian to enjoy the fresh air at the same time.

Current site situation

Proposed site render

9th Avenue Proposed Render

Current Situation

Section A-A Scale 1:150

Walking Biking Trail

9th Avenue

6m

10m

5m

The Stage

5m

1m

20m

2m

3m

15m

Blairmore

Proposed Pocket / Linear Park and Trails

129 Stree

The community park is located within downtown Blairmore is a great gathering location where the kids could run and play, adults could sit and talk, and artists and sports lovers could perform their talents.

The park allows a vast 12,120 m2 of area to allow 50 users.

t

Community park enhancement

Open Areas

Water-bodies

Points of Interest

Underpass to Bellevue

Existing Trails

Train-rail

Highway 3

Streams 1

Highway 3

A

2

Proposed Trails- Stage 1

22nd Avenue 3

Proposed Trails- Stage 2

1 Kilometers A

4

5

• • • • •

80% softscape 20% hardscape Performance stage Bicycle rack Water Feature

133 Stree

t

Some of the amenities of this park includes:

Proposed Site Plan 500 meters

Frank

Proposed Community Park

Proposed Trails Park Information

Open Areas

1

80% Softscape

2

20% Hardscape

3

Performance Stage

All Year Round Park

Highway 3

4

Bicycle Rack

50 People Capacity

Highway 3

5

Water Feature

Total Area :12,120m2

Points of Interest Existing Trails

Proposed Trails- Stage 1 Trails- Stage 2 1 Proposed Kilometers

The site benefits from a curved pathway that allows different views and facilities for the passengers throughout each corner, as well as proposed canopies throughout the park, to allow a cool eventful afternoon with the family.

22nd Avenue Water-bodies Train-rail Streams

-0.2m Proposed Trails- Stage 1 Proposed Trails- Stage 2

From Hillcrest Mines

+0.2m

-0.2m

+0.2m 1.2 m

From Bellevue 1 Kilometers

Section A-A Scale 1:150

HOUSING Single detached

84%

What we heard

Semi-detached

0.40%

Row houses

< 5 storeys

Other attached

2.1%

Other single detached

0.40%

• Lack of affordable housing options • Less variety of housing in forms of semi-detached, duplex, row housing and apartment buildings • Large share of low density country-residential houses with large lots • Significant population only reside during the weekends

Average value of dwelling: $285,000 Average monthly rent: $970

Duplex

0.6%

4.5%

> 5 storeys

0%

8%

(weekenders) • Aging and vacant buildings and lands • Lack of accommodation for seniors, low-income families, Source: Census 2016

single-parents, youth, working families and tourists.

What we are proposing inclusive and diverse housing for everyone

Diversity

Affordability • • • • •

Accessory dwelling units Incentives and tax breaks Public-private partnership Flexible zoning and development regulation Mixed-use buildings

• • • •

Range of housing options in size, style and price Accessible seniors housing No more than 70% single detached Housing options for visitors

Sustainability + Innovation • • • • • •

Sustainable medium density Intensification/infill developments Lower footprint + high efficiency Tiny house/cluster house village Sustainable design and materials Re-purposing historical buildings

Hillcrest concept design Hillcrest concept design includes 4 sites, 1 Resort and 3 housing neighbourhood proposal. The community also has great opportunities for mixed-use developments at the community’s gateway off 9th ave.

Site 1 Phase II

Phase I

The population of the Pass is expected to rise in the near future as it the municipality is undergoing a huge strategic changes in their economic development to welcome more residents and attract tourists. According to our site analyses, Hillcrest could accommodate a large portion of the expected population increase in the Pass as it is ideal for seniors and families who enjoy living distant from the highway, quiet and surrounded by natural beauty.

Site 2 Phase II Phase I

Site 4

This future development will generally be directed to growth nodes and infill locations to make efficient use of infrastructure and concentrate development within and adjacent to urban built up areas.

Phase V

Phase IV

Phasing estimated schedule:

Site 3 Phase II

Phase III

Phase I

2022-2024

Phase II

2024-2026

Phase III

2026-2028

Phase IV

2030

Phase V

2050

Proposal sites

This proposal plan is the future full extent of development for Hillcrest that is estimated to be fully completed in 2050 with its last Phase V. The details of the phasing estimation schedule can be found under the legend of the map.

Hillcrest Site 1: CRV Commercial Resort Village Hillcrest resort Crowsnest Pass has a world-class scenic golf course, fly fishing, and many other tourist attractions that have regular visitors all year round.

According to the hotels inventory and community’s feedback, the Municipality is currently lacking hotels and accommodations for tourists. The tourists have been increasing in the Pass, especially after the Pandemic Covid-19 as other nearby famous tourist destinations such as Banff and Canmore has become too overcrowded.

Proposal plan

Site photo

Viceroy Snowmass, Aspen, CO

Site context

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort East Village, Finland

We identified this area as a potential resort location due to its privacy right next to the forested natural area, removed from the highway, close to the Crowsnest River, Frank Slide pathway along the river, and historical monument sites.

Hillcrest is the quietest community in the Pass and lacking active commercial areas in the community. Introducing a resort would improve the economic activity in Hillcrest and revitalize the main street by providing opportunities for local shops, cafes and restaurants. These commercial areas will service the Hillcrest community and attract the other residents in the Pass and visitors to Hillcrest, which will complement the greater Crowsnest Pass as a whole.

Proposed Land Use

R1 Single-detached R-2, R-2A Duplex/Triplex R3 Row houses

Concept Hillcrest site 3:

Precedents

Residential Neighbourhood with mixed housing typologies R-1 Single-detached

Garden Village, Chelmsford, UK

Belsteads Lane, near Chelmsford

Channels, Chelmsford, UK

Newton, Nottinghamshire, UK

R2-A Duplex/Triplex R3 Row housing This housing neighborhood to the south of Hillcrest has mostly single detached homes with small addition of row houses at the periphery.

Current

Site context

Existing

AB County, Town of Pincher Creek, Maxar

AB County, Town of Pincher Creek, Willow Creek, GeoEye, Maxar

Bellevue housing proposal R2-A Duplex/Triplex We are proposing a co-housing development along the main street on municipal lands next to the Fire Station in Bellevue. This co-housing will provide the autonomy of private dwellings to its residents with an advantages of shared common spaces, resources and community living. We believe that this type of housing could complement large population of seniors, youth, single-parents and lowincome families to enjoy quality of life in diverse, socially integrated community with a lower cost. To fulfill the high demand for affordable housing, we analyzed and identified land for development near the

Site photos

Proposed housing precedents

View from 222 st looking east

Co-housing

View from the MDM playground

Tiny house village

R3 Multi-residential /Row housing Bellvue MDM community center.

This 3d illustration of the area adjacent to Bellevue MDM community centre shows proposed group housing clusters for new families and to attract the young generation. Conveniently located along the Bellvue main street offering access to services such as soccer field, parks and commercial establishments for a more walkable experience. This new development will increase density in the area and attract new businesses. Bellevue is the eastern hub of the pass and hold great importance for CNP’s economic growth.

Park MDM Community Centre

Soccer field

Parking lot

Fire station

Bellevue Housing Proposal

CROWSNEST PASS VISION BRIEF PLANNING + DESIGN HS2 PLANNING GROUP

APRIL 2021

CROWSNEST PASS VISION BRIEF

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Crowsnest Pass is a historically rich natural and cultural landscape. From prewestern development as a significant passage through the Rocky Mountains, to a booming coal mining industry, The Crowsnest Pass, or known as The Pass to locals, is now represents a Western Canadian hot spot for nature-based activities such as hiking and skiing. Due to a shift away from reliance on coal as a fuel resource, and the future of coal mining in question in Alberta, The Pass has an opportunity to decide how they will grow into the 21st century. The purpose of this report is to provide a vision for The Pass that is centred on sustainable growth which can be achieved through a series of recommendations or design interventions that are achievable and will help The Pass prosper while retaining its grounded sense of place. These design interventions are categorized into land use, parks and open space, mobility, historic buildings, main streets, and wayfinding, to ensure that all aspects from the natural to the cultural environment are considered. The three guiding principles of revitalizing, connecting, and attracting were considered through all of these categories.

An extensive site analysis helped HS2 Planning Group better understand these environments and landscapes, and learn where there were constraints and opportunities.

Public consultation through an open house helped to understand which of these opportunities and constraints mattered most to community members and identify some that were missed in the site analysis. These two phases helped guide the design process and provide the basis for which interventions were implemented. Through consultation with a Steering Committee from The Pass, our designs were guided and altered throughout this process to ensure they addressed key concerns ethically and authentically. This report can be used as a guide to design interventions throughout The Pass that will help it achieve sustainable growth, along with various methods for how they can be implemented.

CROWSNEST PASS VISION BRIEF

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS On behalf of HS2 Planning Group, we would like to extend a thank you to our Professor, Francisco Alaniz Uribe, and The Steering Committee from The Crowsnest Pass for providing guidance and feedback through this process.

Professor Chair Municipal Planning Commission Bellecrest Community Association Frank Slide Interpretive Centre Chamber of Commerce Municipality of Crowsnest Pass

Lecturer ETH-Zurich

Francisco Alaniz Uribe Terry Hrudey Ian Crawford Cam Davidson Joey Ambrosi Sacha Anderson Stephen Brunell Johan van der Bank Katherine Mertz Manuel Sudau

HS2 PLANNING GROUP, based in Calgary, Alberta, believes in community driven projects that work not only to improve traditional standards of life, but to make more livable designs that consider the softer aspects of life and all living things through each project that we embrace.

Darby-Marie Henshaw

Mitchell Stykalo

Nathan Stelfox

DESIGN INTERVENTIONS

LAND USE COMMUNITY HOUSING

COMMUNITY HOUSING

O

Attract future residents with more and better housing options.

Propose developments that are connected to nearby amenities.

C

O

CT

CT

Improve the existing housing stock by increasing the diversity and affordability of developments.

L

E Z I

NE

NE

AT T T R AC

REVIT A

C

N

L

E IZ

N

Housing in The Pass is key in providing quality places for current and future residents to reside in. There is currently a lack of diversity in the housing stock, with most of the properties being single-family homes which encourage sprawl and inefficient land use. Our vision for housing is to provide more and better dwelling options for individuals and families.

Within this vision, we aim to increase housing diversity, strategically densify targeted areas, create opportunities for affordable housing, support local and regional tourism, and ultimately initiate vibrant, unique communities that are connected to the town centres and surrounding amenities.

REVIT A

VISION + PRINCIPLES

AT T T R AC

BELLEVUE COMMUNITY PARK

MINERS MEADOW PARK BELLEVUE MAIN STREET

SITE CONTEXT

CURRENT LAND ZONING + SUBDIVISION

The Bellevue Community Park is an exciting opportunity to introduce a unique development that compliments the existing neighbourhood fabric. The proposed plot of land is conveniently located southeast of Bellevue Main Street and has not been identified as an area of potential concern within the analysis. In terms of zoning, the land is subdivided into three zoning types: public, recreation and open space, and residential. All of the immediate surrounding neighbourhood is single-family residential, with some newer homes reflecting country residential. Most of the proposed land is municipally owned, offering an easier development process.

Proposed Site

Rec. & Open Space (RO-1)

Residential (R-1)

Municipally Owned Land

Public (P-1)

1:5000

BELLEVUE COMMUNITY PARK

PHOTO INVENTORY

A photo inventory was collected from several site visits to the proposal area. The land is filled with potential, offering mountain sights, trail accessibility, and plenty of green space.

The topography of the site also lends well to development, with the west edge possessing a small hill that overlooks the field, and the middle of the site being flat and easy to build on. From the visit, it is also easy to envision more, similar development occurring on some of the adjacent site edges.

BELLEVUE COMMUNITY PARK

MASTER PLAN

100m

FRANK, CROWSNEST PASS

RAVEN ROCK, CANMORE

GRANITE HEIGHTS, GOLDEN

SILVER ROCK, FERNIE

Residential (R-1) Duplex Residential (R-3) Multiple Residential (R-2A) Multiple Residential (R-3)

The development contains a diverse mix of housing types that adds and expands the current catalogue. This includes single-family residential, duplexes, townhomes, and condominiums. This plan aims to address the concerns brought up in public engagement, such as a lack of housing diversity and affordability while being compact and non-intrusive to the surrounding nature.

BUILDING TYPOLOGIES

BELLEVUE COMMUNITY PARK

MASSING + RENDER

The scale of the buildings will remain under 4 stories, to ensure sun exposure is minimally affected. In terms of building design precedents, there are notable developments in similar mountain communities such as Golden and Canmore.

The massing model and renders shown, illustrate some of the physical and visual conditions of the plan. The central park of the plan acts as a hub and activity node for the adjacent and nearby residents. It is lightly programmed and aims to bring people and the community together to enjoy the outdoors. The Park features covered areas and gazebos which help facilitate events and gatherings to occur year-round.

BELLEVUE MAIN STREET

DESIGN INTERVENTIONS

MOBILITY

MOBILITY

DESIGN INTERVENTION BUS RAPID TRANSIT

The current public transit option within The Pass operates on a reservation basis. This limits the functionality and level of convenience for residents and visitors to the area. Without transportation options, area users must rely on vehicular-oriented modalities to stay connected.

To promote a resilient and sustainable future within The Pass, the incorporation of a scheduled public transit system is proposed. This system will be composed of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The benefit of this form of public transit is that it can be altered and adapted, depending on user fluctuations and community growth. The community engagement process identified the limited transportation options as the most significant reason for vehicular reliance. The objective of this intervention is to promote active methods of transportation within The Pass.

MOBILITY

BUS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM

The proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will have two service routes. The 101 Express Line, which connects to each of the towns main streets, and the 102 Commuter line, which provides linkages to residential zones. Additional routes can supplement these if usership grows. For example, a tourismoriented route, potentially named the 103, could connect to key attractions and landmarks.

This BRT system will provide scheduled, reliable service for all potential users. The design incorporates the use of the existing RIDECrowsnest commuter bus, to leverage resources and reduce the overhead cost. The system will also incorporate covered bus stops within each town, which will be the collection points for the bus routes. To supplement these integrations, a transit station is proposed, which will provide central connections and will foster the opportunity for system growth.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

EXISTING COMMUTER BUS

COVERED BUS STOPS ROAM TRANSIT | BANFF + CANMORE

TRANSIT STATION ROAM TRANSIT | BANFF + CANMORE

MOBILITY

BLAIRMORE BUS RAPID TRANSIT

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system has been strategically integrated within each town for user convenience. Each scheduled bus stop has been deemed a vital collection point within the community. This intervention was a direct response to comments made within the engagement process, identifying a community-wide desire for more walkable connections and amenities. The Blairmore BRT system showcases the integration of these strategically located collection points, as well as the interconnectedness of the 101 and 102 routes. Providing convenient connections for all users enhances the overall experience and will encourage consistent usership. The stop locations can be altered or adapted if required, due to user volume fluctuations or community growth.

MOBILITY

BLAIRMORE TRANSIT STATION

To provide a central connection for the 101 and 102 service routes, a transit station is proposed. This transit station will be strategically located in Blairmore, on the eastern edge of the Greenhill Hotel. This location is optimal as it is central and provides walkable connections to key amenities such as the IGA grocer and the Blairmore main street.

The Blairmore Transit Station site plan incorporates a variety of elements to heighten the user experience, including a covered terminal, playground space, food truck location, and on-street parking. The objective of this intervention is to create an engaging hub that will promote public transit usership. The design incorporates modest programming to complement the existing rural fabric of the area.

LAND EXCHANGE STRATEGY

MOBILITY

COMMUNITY IMPACT

MUNICIPAL

PRIVATE

The proposed Blairmore Transit Station parcel is currently zoned as Drive-In Commercial (C-2). To accommodate the requirements of a transit station, the parcel must be rezoned. This can be achieved through a municipal land transfer with the private landowner. The municipal parcel located between Highway 3 and the proposed Highway 3x will be offered to the landowner in lieu of the site adjacent to the Greenhill Hotel. This land exchange is mutually beneficial, as Drive-In Commercial is best situated along arterial roadways, and the transit station must be located centrally, close to key amenities.

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service will extend to each town within The Pass, providing accessible connections for all potential users. Each bus stop location has been strategically located for convenience.

The implementation of this intervention is possible through grant funding. In particular, the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass is eligible for the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program through Alberta Transportation. This program promotes accessibility to transit through expanded capacity and quality (Government of Alberta, 2021).

EXISTING: DRIVE-IN COMMERCIAL (C-2)

PROPOSED: MUNICIPAL LAND TRANSFER

OTHER APPLICATION LOCATIONS

DESIGN INTERVENTIONS

WAY FINDING

WAY FINDING

EXISTING CONTEXT

As a municipality of five communities, the collective identity of the Crowsnest Pass as a whole and the individual identity of each community was a large concern for residents in the community engagement. Way finding goes beyond providing signage and direction, and when used successfully, can help reinforce identity, provide a sense of place, and promote active transportation.

Currently, way finding in the Crowsnest Pass is composed of three types: road signage, Discover Crowsnest Heritage Information plaques and kiosks, and the Crowsnest Community Trail signage. While each of these way finding strategies is successful in their objective, there lacks a cohesive way finding system throughout the entirety of the Crowsnest Pass that is recognizable and reinforces the collective and individual identities of The Pass. Our site analysis indicated the wide variety of all-season activities that are available throughout the area, but this required site visits and consultation from local information holders. To make these sites more readily known to visitors of the area, a new way finding system is required.

ROAD SIGNAGE

DISCOVER CROWSNEST HERITAGE

DISCOVER CROWSNEST HERITAGE

CROWSNEST COMMUNITY TRAIL

CROWSNEST COMMUNITY TRAIL

HIGH WAY 3

EXISTING WAYFINDING LOCATIONS

L

E Z I

C

CT

CT

NE

NE

N

VISION PRINCIPLES

O N

O

REVIT A

WAY FINDING

Connect fragmented community focal points and members through safe and engaging pathways

Reinforce identity through way-finding tools and promotion of local attractions

AT T T R AC

Our approach to a way finding system for Crowsnest Pass is centred on the vision principles of Connecting and Attracting. This involves connecting the fragmented communities through engaging pathways and active transportation and reinforcing the identity of The Pass through local attractions. Way finding can be used to help attract new visitors to the area, help locals feel a sense of pride in the opportunities their communities have to offer and connect all people in The Pass through active transportation networks.

This way finding will be implemented at three different scales:

Town Centres

A. Specific sites and attractions with detailed information B. Town scale with local amenities and walking distances C. Road scale way finding to bring people off the highway and into the communities

B. Coleman A

B. Blairmore B. Frank A A

A

B. Bellevue B. Hillcrest A A

C. HWY 3

WAY FINDING

COMMUNITY IDENTITY A

THE

HILLCREST MINES

MINERS’ PATH Distance Elevation

TOWN O

1.6 km 59 m

HILLCREST MINES EXPLORETHEPASS

A ensure that the way finding authentically represented the communities, we used the colours of the

To A so they would resonate with locals. Further, native plant species to the area landscape of the Crowsnest Pass such as Fireweed, Black Spruce, Buffalo Berry, Rough Fescue, and Lodgepole Pine, are used for iconography and to create a recognizable symbol for each community. These colours and symbols can be altered through continued public engagement, but provide a way finding identity strategy that will help each community feel a sense of identity and pride.

BELLEVUE

FRANK COLEMAN

BLAIRMORE

COLEMAN

WAY FINDING

DESIGN PRINCIPLES TOWN OF

BLAIRMORE

35 MINUTES

19 min

STONE’S THROW CAFE 3 min

35 MINUTES

LAUNSTEIN GALLERY

1 min

1 min

1 min

LOST LEMON CAMPGROUND

THE CROWSNEST PASS

14 min

14 min

LAUNSTEIN GALLERY

1 min

COMMUNITY TRAIL TO COLEMAN

IGA SUPERMARKET

IGA SUPERMARKET 14 min

LAUNSTEIN GALLERY

STONE’S THROW CAFE

6 min

6 min

IGA SUPERMARKET 14 min

LOST LEMON CAMPGROUND

COMMUNITY POOL

COMMUNITY POOL 6 min

6 min

LAUNSTEIN GALLERY

8 min

8 min

COMMUNITY POOL

IGA SUPERMARKET

PATHWAYS

PASS POWDERKEG SKI HILL

PASS POWDERKEG SKI HILL 8 min

8 min

COMMUNITY POOL

BLAIRMORE

BLAIRMORE

BLAIRMORE PASS POWDERKEG SKI HILL

PASS POWDERKEG SKI HILL

TOWN OF

TOWN OF

TOWN OF

LOST LEMON CAMPGROUND

LOST LEMON CAMPGROUND 19 min

19 min

19 min

STONE’S THROW CAFE

STONE’S THROW CAFE 3 min

POINTS OF INTEREST

3 min

3 min

COMMUNITY TRAIL TO COLEMAN

35 MINUTES MINUTES 35

PASSAGE TRAIL COMMUNITY TO COLEMAN

35 MINUTES

THE CROWSNEST PASS

THE CROWSNEST PASS

THE CROWSNEST PASS

COMMUNITY TRAIL TO COLEMAN

EXPLORETHEPASS

EXPLORETHEPASS

EXPLORETHEPASS

EXPLORETHEPASS

INDIVIDUAL IDENTITY

A. Town Identity

PROMOTE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION

B. Attractions

CONNECT TO OTHER COMMUNITIES

C. Connections

COLLECTIVE IDENTITY

C. Pass Identity

To meet the vision principles, the design principles for way finding uses specific elements. For example, each way finding should include elements Pathways of individual identity for the communities, promote active transportation, connect communities, part of the collective Pedestrianto the other Equestrian Snowmobile and signify Cyclist they are Hiking identity for The Pass. Simplified symbology is used throughout all scales Ski Hill Swimming Pool Grocery Store Gallery Camping Cafe / Reaturant of way finding to ensure the signage can be easily understood and has a cohesive style.

Retail

Accomodation

Park

Transit

Historical

WAY FINDING

SITE WAY FINDING

At the smallest scale, site way finding is intended for specific attraction or focal points through The Pass. Here, you can see what way finding for the Miners Path would look like, illustrating critical information, using the colour that associates it with Coleman, highlighting nearby elements, and including the Pass Collective identity. For attractions such as trails, smaller site way finding such as posts or signs can be used throughout the system to help reinforce identity and sense of place.

COLEMAN

MINER’S PATH

1.6 KM

DISTANCE

59 M

ELEVATION

OUT & BACK

TYPE

NEARBY

TERMINUS

YOU ARE HERE

1KM

THE CROWSNEST PASS EXPLORETHEPASS

TOWN OF

HILLCREST

WAY FINDING TOWN OF

BLAIRMORE PASS POWDERKEG SKI HILL 8 min

COMMUNITY POOL 6 min

IGA SUPERMARKET

COMMUNITY WAY FINDING

At the town scale, the focus is on showcasing what can be reached on foot, with walking distances to nearby attractions and shops so locals can feel a sense of pride in the amenities their community has to offer and visitors can understand what is available to them. The signage includes connections to the other communities through the Passage Trail and elements for the collective identity of The Pass. In addition, the community way finding can be implemented at smaller scales such as post or sidewalk stickers for a low cost.

14 min

LAUNSTEIN GALLERY

1 min

LOST LEMON CAMPGROUND STONE’S THROW CAFE

35 MINUTES

19 min

3 min

PASSAGE TRAIL TO COLEMAN THE CROWSNEST PASS EXPLORETHEPASS

BLAIRMORE

2 min

6 min

9 min

WAY FINDING

HIGHWAY WAY FINDING

At the highway scale, way finding is intended to grab the attention of motorists on the road and draw them into the towns. Large scale signs with simple symbology intrigue drivers and shows them what attractions they can find there. Getting people off the highway and into the towns is just as important as directing them once they are there. Large scale signs can be located at the highway exits to the communities to grab attention, and then smaller scale road way finding can be used to guide motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists, into the communities from there.

TOWN OF

HILLCREST MINES EXPLORETHEPASS

TOWN OF

HILLCREST MINES 800M

THE CROWSNEST PASS