| For the thousands of young people who have flocked to Banff over the years to work in its hospitality industry, there are a few rites of passage – skiing the Rockies, learning to greet tourists in multiple languages, and throw-down-the-gauntlet partying.
However, that last rite doesn’t fit so well into the lives of most of Banff’s permanent residents. For years, they have complained that last call has been like a cattle call, spilling loud herds of revellers into the streets when the rest of the town is trying to sleep.
But what’s an earnest hospitality worker to do? After punching out late in the evening, there isn't much else except the nightclubs. Nobody wants to wind down in a cramped staff accommodation unit after a long shift. Add to that thousands of tourists looking for a good time, and a late-night noise problem isn't hard to understand.
To outsiders, the problem may seem trivial, but it has been serious and divisive in Banff for years. In the late ’90s, town council even took the unusual step of demanding the removal of the head of its RCMP detachment for his failure to deal with the problem.
But after years of debate, committees and public meetings, the town has found a solution that seems to be making a difference – simply give young people something to do at night besides hitting the bars.
A few years ago, the town experimented with alternative activities like late-night movie screenings, coffee shops with longer hours and nighttime gymnasiums. The programs were deemed successful enough to be expanded, and today those activities have a permanent home.
That home is called the Living Room (345 Banff Avenue), a donated house that acts as a hang-out, meeting place and activity hub. Jennifer Bond, the Living Room co-ordinator for the Banff Service Industry Network, which runs the facility, says there has been an "unbelievable" response since its opening in March 2002.
"It has really been embraced by the community and by the hospitality industry," Bond says. "It resembles a lot of the atmosphere of a hostel. It's a great place for meeting people… and it has a real international flavour."
As well as offering free cable TV and recreational necessities like air hockey, Bond says hundreds of events are planned by a 10-member committee that uses the Living Room as its hub. Those events range from ski trips to talent nights to jewelry-making classes.
The town and the hospitality industry has also started educating the town's new workers about the late-night problem and is encouraging them to become part of the community, rather than just part of the bar scene. The town is also eyeing a comprehensive anti-drug abuse strategy.
Banff Mayor Dennis Shuler says that, predictably, the initiatives haven’t completely solved the problem, but they’re certainly helping.
"The issue of late-night noise will never go away and I've talked to a number of other tourist communities across North America and that's what they say," Shuler says. "Since (the initiatives) have been on stream I can say I've had less complaints."
The head of Banff's RCMP detachment, Staff Sgt. Joe MacDonald, says it's difficult to accurately judge how effective the measures have been in combatting late-night noise, but he agrees that they have made a difference.
"There are still some noise problems, not only downtown, but in residential areas as well... but we've received fewer complaints," MacDonald says. "There's more awareness in the community."
MacDonald says the RCMP has increased its presence in problem areas over the past several years, but that hasn’t resulted in increased arrests. He credits service industry employers for educating their employees, and the community for taking an active approach.
"When I talk to people in the business and restaurant community, things have gotten better," MacDonald says. "That's not to say there's no more noise… but I get good feedback from the community."
Shuler also puts the problem in perspective.
"People say there's not much to do in Banff at night, but if you go hiking or skiing all day, you probably don't want to go out at night," he says. "I've been in some communities that would kill for late night-noise because it would help their economy." |
