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The
Town of Banff is located in the Bow Valley in Canada's oldest
and largest Federal park, Banff National Park, a World Heritage
Site.
After
the discovery of the Hot Springs in 1883, near the current
town site, the park grew in size from a few square miles
to its present size of 6,641 square miles. Banff is 120km
(75mi) west of the city of Calgary and is accessible via
the Trans Canada Highway. At an elevation of 1,375 m (4,530ft.)
Banff is the highest town in Canada and is home to 7,500
permanent residents.
Surrounded
by rugged peaks, glacier fed rivers and clear mountain lakes,
the town of Banff is one of the most famous and frequently
visited tourist destinations in the world.
To
meet the demand of the increasing amount of visitors, both
from North America and around the world, Banff is very commercially
active. There are over 50 hotels in the town alone and they
range from small 20 room motels up to the magnificent 750
room Banff Springs Hotel (recently renamed the Fairmont
Banff Springs). Dining is Banff’s specialty, over
60 restaurants from fast food to fine dining, from wild
western to Japanese!! Banff has it all. The downtown core
is made up of hundreds of shops, stores, and galleries and
is alive with activity every day of the year.
Can
anyone live in Banff? No! Because the town is located in
the National Park the land itself is "Public Land"
and is "leasehold" as opposed to "freehold".
Leases are granted on a 42 year renewal basis to individuals
who meet the "Need to Reside" criteria. Individuals
who work in the park, or operate a business in the park
along with retired individuals who have lived in the park
for five consecutive years after being employed there, qualify
as to the regulations set out by the Town of Banff and are
permitted to live there on a full-time basis.
Approximately
5 million people visit the Park annually. A year round tourist
resort, Banff attracts sightseers and backcountry users
alike in the summer months, along with golfers, birdwatchers
and fishing enthusiasts. The mild winters and abundant snowfall
brings out the cross-country and downhill skiers, dog sledders
and snowshoers.
Come
and see for yourself.
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out our Useful
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