Hotel or Housing? Readers Weigh In on Former Canmore Dealership Site

A majority of Bow Valley Insider readers say a newly listed downtown Canmore development site should prioritize housing over hotel development.

In a recent reader poll asking what should be prioritized for the former car dealership site at 707 Railway Avenue, 39% selected local housing, making it the top choice among 191 respondents. Mixed-use development, combining housing with retail, followed at 33%, while visitor accommodation trailed at 16%. The remaining 12% selected “something else.”

The question comes after the 1.06-acre property, located across from Elevation Place, was listed for $10.9 million and marketed as a potential hotel or visitor accommodation development under its current zoning.

“We Don’t Need More Hotels”

Across community responses, a consistent message emerged: Canmore has enough visitor accommodation.

“We have more than enough boutique hotels in this town,” one reader wrote. “Mixed-use housing in conjunction with functional retail that serves our community should be the absolute priority.”

Others were more direct.

“The amount of short term rentals… is enough and absurd,” another said. “Our minimum wage earners and lower middle class deserve more respect in housing from this Town and businesses.”

Several readers described a broader shift in the town’s identity, suggesting tourism-focused development has outpaced the needs of residents.

“Whenever I walk past a new development now, it’s tourist accommodation,” one comment read. “This used to be a community that people visited, now it’s a tourist town where some locals happen to live.”

Housing Seen as Urgent Need

While opposition to additional hotels was clear, the strongest through-line in the responses was the urgency around housing.

Readers pointed to a wide range of needs: staff housing, family housing, and options for seniors, often framing the issue as foundational to the town’s future.

“We don’t need more accommodation if we can’t house workers,” one respondent wrote.

Another described the site as a rare opportunity to place housing close to jobs and services.

“An opportunity to have locals’ long-term housing finally in close proximity to facilities and most workplaces in town,” they wrote. “The local permanent residents desperately need housing, businesses desperately need staff.”

Some comments went further, arguing that the current trajectory is not sustainable.

“We shouldn’t be warehousing local workers,” one reader said. “We should have housing and a community where everyone can flourish.”

Mixed-Use Emerges as Middle Ground

While housing alone received the most votes, many readers pointed toward mixed-use development as a practical compromise.

“Retail and residential, the best of both worlds,” one response read.

Others suggested incorporating essential services into any future project, including grocery stores, childcare, and pharmacies, to support a growing population without adding pressure to the downtown core.

“While an affordable housing unit would be ideal, so would a grocery store, pharmacy, daycare, coffee shop… all in the same building,” one reader wrote.

The emphasis was less on stopping development altogether and more on shaping it to better serve daily life for residents.

Calls for a Different Approach

Beyond housing and mixed-use, a smaller but notable group of respondents suggested entirely different uses for the site, including a parkade, community hub, or expanded public facilities.

“The parkade, this is the obvious spot,” one reader wrote, referencing ongoing conversations about downtown parking pressure.

Others suggested more active municipal involvement.

“The Town should acquire and land bank for future community needs,” one comment read, while another proposed transforming the site into a transit-oriented hub tied to future regional rail.

These responses reflect a broader sentiment that decisions about high-impact sites should align more closely with long-term community planning.

A Decision Still to Come

Despite strong reader sentiment, the future of the Railway Avenue site remains uncertain.

The property is privately owned, and its current zoning allows for visitor accommodation, meaning a hotel or similar development remains a viable outcome. Any proposal would still need to navigate Canmore’s development approval process, including council and community input.

Still, the response to the survey suggests that for many residents, this site represents more than just another development.

It’s a test of what comes next.