For the duration of August 1 to September 30, travelers in the Allenby Pass area will be required to obtain a special permit.  This is in place to improve public safety and limit grizzly bear displacement from a prime food source.  Conditions for obtaining the permit include hikers traveling in a group of four or more ( larger groups recommended).  For horse groups, a minimum of 2 is required.  Permits can be obtained by appointment from the Banff  Information Centre 403.762.1550.  Please follow the link for complete details.

The Town of Banff has announced the completion of Banff Refreshing and they are planning a free concert to celebrate.  The event has been named 'Banff Live' and they are claiming it will be the biggest street party ever held in our mountain town.  The musicians slated to perform between 1:00 - 9:00 p.m. include; Ron Sexsmith, Theory of a Deadman, K-OS and the Joel Plaskett Emergency.  The town expects 30,000 attendees to celebrate at the Wolf Street/Banff Avenue intersection on Thursday, August 21.

Become a member of the Canmore Community Cruisers for just $10 and take advantage of the sporty green bikes at three 'Hub' locations.  Green bikes are now available at: Wapiti Campground, Communitea Cafe and the Alpine Club of Canada. Use them to cruise around town, run your errands or visit friends.  These bikes are part of a bike share, so when you are not using one, leave it at one of the hubs for someone else to enjoy. Please follow the link for more information on the program.

Parks Canada has launched a new website tracking recent bear activity.  The new site will report both black and grizzly bear sightings on a weekly basis in the Banff, Yoho and Kottenay National Parks.  Please follow the link to check it out and stay informed.

From Tuesday, July 15, to Tuesday, September 30, group access will be required for the Aylmer Pass trail. Group access is in effect from the junction of the Lake Minnewanka lakeshore trail to the park boundary on Aylmer Pass, and includes the trail to Aylmer lookout. This means that people must travel in tight groups of four or more for safety reasons.  The Lake Minnewanka lakeshore trail is not affected by group access, and will remain open,  the LM8 campground will be closed during this period.  Please follow the link for more information on the resrtriction.

The Biosphere Institute lends out PowerCost monitors to help residents of the Bow Valley track their energy expenditures. Also, if you are considering retrofits or new building construction you may also qualify for a ecoENERGY grant or incentive. Please contact the Biosphere Institute to learn more!