Banff Alberta - Redevelopment and renovation of Banff's historic train station as part of an ambitious plan to revitalize the dilapidated lands at the northwest entrance to the tourist town is nearing completion.
 
But proposed new uses for the railway lands (CR) district, including expanded commercial uses to include hotel rooms and retail shops to make Banff Caribou Properties' redevelopment more financially viable, are still in the hands of Parks Canada's lawyers.
 
Caribou, which secured a sublease from Canadian Pacific Railway in 2011 for use of an approximately 1.23 hectare portion of the lands, is expecting a soft opening of the train station this week, and a more formal grand opening in July when landscaping is complete.
 
Greyhound, Rocky Mountaineer, Avis, and a visitor information centre are secured as tenants.
 
The information centre, which will be run by Banff Lake Louise Tourism and Parks Canada, is scheduled to open on 1 May 2014, but most of the building is still not leased.
 
Officials with Caribou Properties say they are waiting on Parks Canada's input on a Land Use Bylaw (LUB) amendment to allow additional discretionary uses, but in the meantime, are actively trying to secure viable tenants.
 
"The vacant areas include the large east wing, which is about 4,000 square feet, the entire upstairs space, which is about 2,500 square feet, as well as three kiosk spaces in the main terminal area," said Gordon Lozeman, Caribou's president and CEO.
 
"The implications of further delays in the bylaw amendment are that we can't find a viable tenant base for the station. Then it will just end up back where it was in the first place."
 
In 1888, CPR constructed a railway station at the end of Lynx Street.
 
To accommodate increasing tourist traffic, the station was replaced in 1910 with the current larger building.
 
Renovation of this federally significant historic building forms Phase 1 of Caribou's plan for the lands, while the second phase involves creation of a secondary building at the west end of the site, as well as formalization of the rest of the parking lot.
 
Caribou Properties has a commercial development allotment under the growth cap for the site and can transfer additional square footage from other properties under new legislation.
 
"The end goal is a vibrant parking and transportation hub that will also be a great day-use area," said Lozeman.
 
"We plan to start Phase 2 next year."
 
Under the current LUB, the only permitted use in the CR district is railway services, while discretionary uses include eating and drinking establishments, non-accessory parking, parking area for recreation centre, and utility services.
 
Banff town council agreed last September to delay a public hearing on new discretionary uses to give Parks Canada more time to review the implications of proposed new land uses.
 
The list of discretionary uses proposed in the LUB amendment includes passenger terminal, professional, financial, health, and office services, as well as vehicle rental service.
 
Amusement establishment, eating and drinking establishment, equipment rentals, hotel on second floor of station, natural science exhibit, personal service shop, private education services, retail, and spectator entertainment, are also proposed.
 
Parks Canada's main concerns centre on the fact that some of the proposed discretionary uses fall outside of previous federal approvals, including a federal Order In Council approved in April 2013.
 
In addition, Parks wants legal clarification on whether new uses could trigger the reversionary clause, which gives the federal government the right to take back or sell railway lands when they are no longer used for railway purposes.
 
It appears the federal agency has no interest in getting back the railway lands, which have seen industrial use over the years.
 
The Outlook's request for an interview was denied, and in a move that is becoming a more common media practice, a written email response was provided instead.
 
In the email, Banff National Park Superintendent Dave McDonough said a decision has not yet been made, but that they expect to hear back from the Department of Justice over the next few months.
 
While Parks supports a vision to revitalize the area into a community gateway in principle, McDonough said the expanded purpose of the district and proposed discretionary uses within and around the building present legal and policy concerns.
 
"Our main concern is that all proposed uses must be legally consistent with the terms under which the original land grants were issued to Canadian Pacific, in order that contractual or statutory reversionary rights will not be triggered, thereby returning the land to the Government of Canada, " he wrote.
 
"Parks Canada also wants to ensure that what is proposed for the area works for all parties involved. Parks Canada will continue to work with the proponent and the Town of Banff on this proposal."
 
In 2003, the council of the day approved a terms of reference document for an area redevelopment plan at the request of CPR.
 
At the time, there were plans for 150 new housing units, but work on the ARP ceased in 2004 when issues arose between Parks Canada and CPR over the reversionary clause.
 
Lozeman said every stakeholder the company has dealt with, including the Town of Banff, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board, Parks Canada, and CPR, wants to see the station revitalized.
 
"I can't imagine that any reasonable adaptive uses of the building would be denied," he said.
 
"I'm confident that it will get sorted out."
 
Randall McKay, the Town of Banff's planning and development manager, said the planning department is frustrated at the pace at which Parks Canada is considering amendments to the LUB.
 
"It's taken an unusually long time to review what we consider a relatively small set of amendments to the bylaw," he said.
 
McKay said the current range of discretionary uses allowed on the lands is very limited.
 
"The redevelopment of this area goes quite a ways back. When you look at incorporation of the town in 1990, it was felt even then that this area presented a wonderful opportunity for redevelopment and for visitor experience," he said.
 
"It was referenced extensively in the 1992 downtown enhancement concept plan and since that time, very little has happened with regard to a specific planning strategy. We've long felt it was a lost visitor experience."
 
McKay said the renovation of the historic train station is being "beautifully executed."
 
"It's not done yet, but the care and attention to the building and ensuring it's consistent with the restoration plan, which was drawn up and designed by a restoration architect, has been beautifully done. We think this is going to be a showpiece for visitors to Banff. It's already, in my opinion, improved the look and feel of the town on the west entrance into town."
 
Lozeman said it has certainly been a challenging construction project, noting they have had to take special measures to preserve and enhance the station's historic elements because it is a federally protected building.
 
He said key elements of the exterior work were the restoration of the original entry and removal of previous additions that were not compatible with the original building.
 
There was also extensive work done to replace windows and doors, as well as to vent, insulate, and re-roof the entire building.
 
"A lot of the more extensive work is not even visible to the visitor, but had to be done to meet current building standards. Things like asbestos removal, or reinforcing roof brackets, or sprinklering the entire building, all of which were major undertakings," he said.
 
"And we had to replace all servicing infrastructure to the building, new water main, new sanitary out to the street, new electrical service. It's now essentially a 100-year-old building with a new nerve centre."
 
Lozeman said the interior was essentially just starting from a shell.
 
The only interior element of any historical significance was the original fireplace, which was left as part of the restored arrivals-departures public terminal area.
 
"The crew, our staff, and local trades that we've had working there has been great," he said.
 
"You can tell that they all take a lot of pride in being part of something special."

Cathy Ellis.