Canmore to Banff trail to be expanded

A popular trail that runs between Banff and Canmore along the Bow Valleyis being expanded.

The Legacy Trail, a paved pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, opened last year.

But it currently terminates at the Banff National Park gates, leading users to cross the highway to access it.

Canmore Mayor John Borrowman said that has created safety concerns.

"Young families and thousands of people running across the Trans-Canada to get to the trail head, it just has been a very worrisome thing," he said.

The 8.4-kilometre expansionbringing the trail into Canmore and up to the Nordic Centrewill cost $4.3 million and take a year to complete.

The province is providing $3.3 million with the towns of Canmore and Banff and the MD of Bighorn paying for the rest.

Plans call for the trail eventually to connectwith other mountain communities, including Bragg Creek and Fernie, B.C.