Latest news with #JanWaterous
Toronto Sun
05-08-2025
- Toronto Sun
Beloved Banff entrance sign finds safer, less troublesome home
Banff and the Waterous family plan to develop the sign's new home into a community park, with benches and pathways that allow for a safer visitor experience A rendering of the new location of Banff's welcome sign at the Banff Train Station, unveiled at a groundbreaking event on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The project is a partnership between the Town of Banff and the Waterous family, owners of Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Supplied The Town of Banff broke ground Tuesday on a new location for the community's iconic sign, in its collaboration with Mt. Norquay owners Adam and Jan Waterous. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The partners will move the sign to a green space to the west of the Banff Train Station in October, to address community concerns over the safety of tourists and residents. 'The sign will contribute to the revitalization of the Railway Lands and provide a welcoming space for visitors,' said Jan Waterous, managing director of Liricon Capital, which is footing the $1.2-million development cost. 'It deeply aligns with our vision to ease traffic congestion in Banff.' Read More Mt. Norquay general manager Andre Quenneville says the site was proposed by the company in a deal with the town last year, in which Liricon would pay to develop the site and move the sign — provided it was moved to the land next to the train station owned and operated by Norquay. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'In 2019, Norquay worked with the town and we built a 500-stall parking lot to help with traffic congestion,' Quenneville said. 'We didn't know exactly how people were going to use it.' Stakeholders gathered at the Banff Train Station in Banff on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 to break ground on the new location of the Banff entrance sign. The sign was built next to Mt. Norquay Road in 2017 but is being moved off of the major road to decrease congestion and increase safety. Dan Evans photo The parking lot is next to the new site for the sign. Since its installation along Mt. Norquay Road in 2017 — at the West entrance to the town — the sign's success as the gateway to Canada's most popular national park has led to drivers illegally stopping for photos. Banff and the Waterous family plan to develop the sign's new home into a community park, with benches and pathways that allow for a safer visitor experience. A rendering of the new location of Banff's welcome sign at the Banff Train Station, unveiled at a groundbreaking event on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The project is a partnership between the Town of Banff and the Waterous family, owners of Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Supplied Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno said the new location contributes to a growing welcome hub at the edge of town, while protecting not just those visiting the sign, but also the rest of the townsite. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'We're encouraging people to park at Banff's gateway, rather than drive into the downtown core and contribute to traffic congestion,' DiManno said. Though Banff has not seen an increase in traffic incidents at the current location of the sign, it is agreed that it is only a matter of time before an incident occurs. Quenneville says that though the sign is well-liked by residents, the congestion and potential for accidents that it has created have hurt its reputation around town. 'I think everyone likes it, but they just realize that there's a lot of people driving by, and some are making last-minute decisions to stop the car and try to jump out and take a picture,' he said. 'From the locals' perspective, we've all seen some bad behaviour, and by putting it in a new location, I think it'll be way better for everyone.' Columnists World Canada Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto & GTA
Vancouver Sun
05-08-2025
- Vancouver Sun
Banff sign to move to safer spot for tourist selfies in fall
BANFF — A popular selfie spot for visitors to Banff National Park is being moved to what town officials say is a safer site. The two-metre-high, $350,000 sign that simply reads 'Banff' was installed in 2017 on Mount Norquay Avenue, one of two entrances into the Alberta mountain park's idyllic townsite. But the narrow two-lane road, which runs from the Mount Norquay Ski Resort seven kilometres away, is fraught with traffic jams, even between the peak tourist seasons of winter and summer. The new location — in front of the historic Banff train station, with Mount Norquay in the background — was unveiled at a ceremony Tuesday. Plan your next getaway with Travel Time, featuring travel deals, destinations and gear. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Travel Time will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. It's about 600 metres from the original site and next to a free parking lot. The sign is to be moved there, likely overnight, in October. 'The Banff sign is more popular than we could have ever imagined, and there's definitely some safety concerns around folks pulling over to get photos and make memories,' said Mayor Corrie DiManno. 'At times, you kind of feel like a Pac-Man game came to life, and council wanted to move (it) to a safer location.' Banff gets about four million visitors a year, and Mount Norquay Avenue sees 55 to 60 per cent of the traffic. In the summer, there are about 17,000 vehicles a day on the avenue, with many pedestrians crossing the road to get to the sign from a nearby parking lot. The sign, which was temporarily removed for three days in June during the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, is still busy. Dozens of people lined up Tuesday to snap photos in front of the giant place name. The $1.2 million cost to move the sign and reinstall it is being paid for by Adam and Jan Waterous, owners of the Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. 'What's really been important to us and our family is to reinvigorate the railway lands and restore them to their place as the gateway to Banff,' said Jan Waterous. 'We've been working hard to getting a passenger rail train from Calgary to Banff. We hope that will be for another announcement soon. But in the meantime, we're doing what we can to really create a gathering place in this part of Banff.' The Alberta government is studying possibilities for a passenger rail system. Waterous said her family is one of the groups lobbying for Calgary to Banff service. 'Our view is part of getting here is the journey and seeing the mountains. We expect that the next step in the fall will be the province deciding whether to proceed with one or both of these routes,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
Edmonton Journal
05-08-2025
- Edmonton Journal
Banff sign to move to safer spot for tourist selfies in fall
Article content BANFF — A popular selfie spot for visitors to Banff National Park is being moved to what town officials say is a safer site. Article content The two-metre-high, $350,000 sign that simply reads 'Banff' was installed in 2017 on Mount Norquay Avenue, one of two entrances into the Alberta mountain park's idyllic townsite. Article content Article content But the narrow two-lane road, which runs from the Mount Norquay Ski Resort seven kilometres away, is fraught with traffic jams, even between the peak tourist seasons of winter and summer. Article content Article content The new location — in front of the historic Banff train station, with Mount Norquay in the background — was unveiled at a ceremony Tuesday. Article content Article content It's about 600 metres from the original site and next to a free parking lot. The sign is to be moved there, likely overnight, in October. Article content 'The Banff sign is more popular than we could have ever imagined, and there's definitely some safety concerns around folks pulling over to get photos and make memories,' said Mayor Corrie DiManno. 'At times, you kind of feel like a Pac-Man game came to life, and council wanted to move (it) to a safer location.' Article content Banff gets about four million visitors a year, and Mount Norquay Avenue sees 55 to 60 per cent of the traffic. In the summer, there are about 17,000 vehicles a day on the avenue, with many pedestrians crossing the road to get to the sign from a nearby parking lot. Article content The sign, which was temporarily removed for three days in June during the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, is still busy. Dozens of people lined up Tuesday to snap photos in front of the giant place name. Article content Article content The $1.2 million cost to move the sign and reinstall it is being paid for by Adam and Jan Waterous, owners of the Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Article content 'What's really been important to us and our family is to reinvigorate the railway lands and restore them to their place as the gateway to Banff,' said Jan Waterous. Article content 'We've been working hard to getting a passenger rail train from Calgary to Banff. We hope that will be for another announcement soon. But in the meantime, we're doing what we can to really create a gathering place in this part of Banff.' Article content The Alberta government is studying possibilities for a passenger rail system. Waterous said her family is one of the groups lobbying for Calgary to Banff service.
Winnipeg Free Press
05-08-2025
- Winnipeg Free Press
Banff sign to move to safer spot for tourist selfies in fall
BANFF – A popular selfie spot for visitors to Banff National Park is being moved to what town officials say is a safer site. The two-metre-high, $350,000 sign that simply reads 'Banff' was installed in 2017 on Mount Norquay Avenue, one of two entrances into the Alberta mountain park's idyllic townsite. But the narrow two-lane road, which runs from the Mount Norquay Ski Resort seven kilometres away, is fraught with traffic jams, even between the peak tourist seasons of winter and summer. The new location — in front of the historic Banff train station, with Mount Norquay in the background — was unveiled at a ceremony Tuesday. It's about 600 metres from the original site and next to a free parking lot. The sign is to be moved there, likely overnight, in October. 'The Banff sign is more popular than we could have ever imagined, and there's definitely some safety concerns around folks pulling over to get photos and make memories,' said Mayor Corrie DiManno. 'At times, you kind of feel like a Pac-Man game came to life, and council wanted to move (it) to a safer location.' Banff gets about four million visitors a year, and Mount Norquay Avenue sees 55 to 60 per cent of the traffic. In the summer, there are about 17,000 vehicles a day on the avenue, with many pedestrians crossing the road to get to the sign from a nearby parking lot. The sign, which was temporarily removed for three days in June during the G7 leaders' summit in Kananaskis, is still busy. Dozens of people lined up Tuesday to snap photos in front of the giant place name. The $1.2 million cost to move the sign and reinstall it is being paid for by Adam and Jan Waterous, owners of the Mt. Norquay Ski Resort and leaseholders of the Banff Railway Lands. Wednesdays What's next in arts, life and pop culture. 'What's really been important to us and our family is to reinvigorate the railway lands and restore them to their place as the gateway to Banff,' said Jan Waterous. 'We've been working hard to getting a passenger rail train from Calgary to Banff. We hope that will be for another announcement soon. But in the meantime, we're doing what we can to really create a gathering place in this part of Banff.' The Alberta government is studying possibilities for a passenger rail system. Waterous said her family is one of the groups lobbying for Calgary to Banff service. 'Our view is part of getting here is the journey and seeing the mountains. We expect that the next step in the fall will be the province deciding whether to proceed with one or both of these routes,' she said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
