Banff Approves $4.8M Fenlands Upgrade as Facility Hits Record Demand

Banff’s recreation system is experiencing its busiest year on record, with participation rising across every program area and facilities struggling to keep up. At a December 2 meeting, staff outlined how growth in memberships, rentals, and community programming is pushing the Fenlands Banff Recreation Centre beyond its current layout. The 2026 capital plan now allocates $4.804 million for Phase 1 of the Fenlands Future redevelopment.

Recreation staff described the past year as unprecedented. “We have had record setting levels of usage in our programs and facilities,” one staff member told council. “We have never had this type of access in our buildings before.”

Membership and program growth outpacing facility capacity

Growth is showing up everywhere. Pauw Pass memberships for adults aged 26 to 54 have reached more than 2,100 members, more than double the total from 2021. Child and youth participation has climbed from roughly 1,000 hours in 2021 to more than 6,000. BanffLife, the program serving residents aged 18 to 30, has doubled between 2022 and 2025 from just under 500 participants to more than 1,000. Staff said participation was stronger across “youth, adult and senior programming,” noting that community demand has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

These gains come with challenges. Staff said they continue to struggle to fill part-time and casual positions, particularly in youth programming, aquatics, customer service, and the Fenlands cafe. High housing and living costs make recruitment difficult, which in turn affects how many programs and facility hours can be offered.

Why the town says Fenlands can no longer keep pace

The current Fenlands layout no longer fits how residents use the building. Program growth and increased daily foot traffic have created bottlenecks in the lobby and common areas. Staff offices occupy space needed for the public. The fitness room is undersized, and the floorplan limits the ability to run multiple activities at once, especially between curling, meeting rooms, and multipurpose spaces.

These pressures have been building for years, and the town has been advancing the longer-term redevelopment plan known as Fenlands Future. During the service review, administration presented updated details on Phase 1 as it enters the 2026 capital budget process.

What Phase 1 includes

Phase 1 calls for a new, larger fitness room, a reconfigured lobby with improved circulation, a new multi-purpose movement and fitness studio, a redesigned reception area with views into Arena 2, improved washrooms, and upgraded staff workspaces relocated out of high-traffic areas. Renderings show a facility designed to handle heavier daily use and support more programs at once.

The price tag and funding model

Phase 1 is budgeted at $4.804 million. The town anticipates a “one-third, two-thirds” funding model, contributing roughly $1.58 million and seeking the remaining $3.2 million through a potential donor who is in active discussions with administration. Town officials told council the project would not begin until external funding is secured. Councillors also acknowledged that the Town still carries about $620,000 in outstanding debt from the original construction of Fenlands, a point raised as part of the debate over the project’s timing and financial implications.

Staff emphasized that the redevelopment is intended to meet existing demand, not expand into new program areas.

What council asked and what comes next

During the meeting, councillors asked how the new fitness room and movement studio would affect scheduling, whether demand was consistent across programs, and how the redesigned lobby and reception area would ease crowding during busy periods. The funding model sparked debate. Some councillors questioned moving ahead while the original facility debt remains, while others argued that the chance to secure a donor willing to fund two-thirds of the project made this a rare and time-sensitive opportunity.

Council ultimately voted to advance Phase 1 in the 2026 capital plan, with Brian Standish and Michelle Backhouse opposed.

Phase 1 will now move through the 2026 budget cycle, which will determine how the project is funded and how quickly it can proceed. Future phases may be brought forward in later years.

The long-term question facing Banff

For now, the data remains the strongest argument for expansion. “We have exceeded participation levels in all areas,” staff said during the review. Recreation leaders say the town is seeing more residents than ever using community fitness programs, youth activities, public skating, rentals, and social programming. As Banff continues to grow, that demand shows no sign of slowing down.