Banff, Alberta
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- This page refers to the town of Banff in Alberta, Canada. For other places with the name Banff, see Banff (disambiguation)
Elevation=1463| Highway=Highway 1| Waterway=Bow River| Founded=1880| Incorporated=1990| Time zone=MST| Postal Code= | Population description=Town Population| Population=8,352 (2005)| Population Density=1722| Area=4.85| Town Mayor=John Stutz| Governing Body=Banff Town Council| website= Town of Banff website| Census Year=2001| Extra references= Town of Banff website|
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Banff (Template:Coor dm Elevation: 1463 m/4800 ft) is the largest town in Banff National Park in southwestern Alberta within the Canadian Rockies. The town is situated above Bow Falls near the junction of the Bow and Spray Rivers. Banff is located about 135 kilometres (85 miles) west of Calgary on the Trans-Canada Highway. It is also 58 km (36 miles) east of Lake Louise. The town is now a member of the Calgary Regional Partnership, making it the westernmost municipality within Greater Calgary.
The resort town is a very popular tourist destination and is known for its mountainous surroundings and hot springs. It is a major destination for outdoor sports and features extensive hiking, scrambling and skiing areas within the region.
There are a number of popular mountains located immediately adjacent to the townsite. They include Mount Rundle (overlooking the townsite at 2,846 metres), Cascade Mountain (2,846 metres) and Mount Norquay, with its ski slope. A gondola lift is available to ascend Sulphur Mountain where a boardwalk beginning from the upper terminal takes visitors to Sanson Peak. Sulphur Mountain is also the location of one of Banff's most popular attractions, the Banff Upper Hot Springs.
Banff is home to the well-known Banff World Television Festival as well as the Banff Festival of Mountain Films.
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History
The town was founded by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1880 as a tourist destination. It was named after the burgh of Banff in Scotland. The Railway built a series of grand hotels along the rail line and advertised the Banff Springs Hotel as an international tourist resort. Banff remains one of the most popular tourist destinations in Canada. In 1985, the United Nations declared Banff National Park, as one of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks, a World Heritage Site.
Contemporary issues
According to the 2005 municipal census, the town's permanent population was 8,352. This figure includes a seasonal shadow population of 1,025 however. The town's growth in recent years has led to concerns by environmentalists who fear the town's growth will harm the wilderness of the surrounding national park. The federal government has attempted to address these concerns by restricting development in the town, and mandating that only people who are employed or otherwise have ongoing business in Banff (plus their immediate families) may take up permanent residence in the community. Image:Banff Avenue - Cascade Mountain.jpg Image:Banff from Sulphur Mtn 2005.jpg
According to the Canada 2001 Census:
| Population: | 7,135 (17% increase from 1996) |
| Land area: | 4.85 km² |
| Population density: | 1,471 people/km² |
| Median age: | 29.4 (males: 30.0, females: 28.7) |
| Total private dwellings: | 3,233 |
| Mean household income: | $35,651 |
See also
External links
| North: no roads | ||
| West: Lake Louise | Banff | East: Canmore |
| South: Radium Hot Springs |