Banff’s trails are typically not lit. The Trails Master Plan recommended the Town consider lighting Priority 1 trails to improve safety and to extend their use.
Lighting trails, however, impacts the night sky of the national park, increases operational and energy costs and consumes more electricity, expanding our footprint.
POINTS TO CONSIDER:
-A street lighting policy establishes standards for roads, the same does not exist for trails.
-During the Trails Master Plan, the community identified “lack of lighting” as a significant barrier to increased trail use.
-Days are shorter than 10 hours for 30% of the year and many residents’ workdays start and end during dark hours.