Residents vote against Banff's annual pedestrian zone

Residents of Banff, Alta., have rejectedan annual pedestrian zone in a public vote thatended Monday evening.

Unofficial results have been tallied at 1,194 votes in favour, with 1,328 votes against, according to the Town of Banff website.

Nearly half of the votes were cast during three advanced voting days held throughoutJuly.

Council must now pass a bylaw to rescind their original decision to have an annual summer pedestrian zone at the next council meeting on Aug. 26.

The Town of Banff website notes that pedestrian zone public amenities will be dismantled after the bylaw has been passed, including the removal of extra public seating, bicycle parking, flower planters and restaurant patios.

In the vote, residents were asked whether or not they would support council's decision to close a section of Banff Avenue to vehicles every year from the May long weekend until the Thanksgiving long weekend.

In mid-April 2024, residents circulateda petition calling for council to repeal the annual pedestrian zone decision. That petition received over 1,000 signatures and, under the stipulations of Alberta's Municipal Government Act, forced council to take the decision to a vote of the electors.

The town said the vote will be made official on Tuesday.