Strengthening the Heart of Our Communities: Downtowns with Distinct Identity
Municipal Development Plan: For the community, by the community
The future of Crowsnest Pass is being shaped through careful planning, community input, and a shared vision for how we want to grow. The Municipal Development Plan (MDP) was created to guide that growth over the long term. While the plan was completed several years ago, we’re now sharing key parts of it to help everyone better understand how it supports our community.
The MDP focuses on five main areas that reflect what matters most to residents and outline how we’ll take action to build a strong, welcoming, and healthy municipality:
- Promoting Our Urban Centres
- Expanding Our Housing Options
- Investing in Our Economy
- Protecting Our Treasured Places
- Building Infrastructure and Transportation
In this part of the series, we’re exploring each of these five focus areas. Today’s update looks at how we’re working to revitalize and strengthen our urban centres.
Area 1: Promoting Our Urban Centres
Our Goal
“Articulate distinctive identities and land use strategies for Coleman, Blairmore, Frank, Bellevue and Hillcrest that focus activity and build vibrancy in existing urban settlements—celebrating the collective identity of Crowsnest Pass.”
Each of our five communities — Coleman, Blairmore, Frank, Bellevue, and Hillcrest — has its own unique identity. This part of the MDP supports thoughtful growth in these areas, focusing on what makes each community special while improving how we live, work, and gather in these spaces within the whole of the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass.
What’s the Plan?
The MDP outlines several strategies to support and enhance our urban centres:
- Protect open areas between communities to preserve each town’s identity and maintain natural green space.
- Create General Design Guidelines and Themes to shape new development in a way that respects local history and character.
- Improve parks and open spaces, ensuring all residents have fair access to recreation opportunities. This includes creating new parks and making existing ones more active and welcoming (including ones for our furry friends!).
Downtowns as Community Anchors
Our downtowns are not just commercial areas — they’re cultural and social hubs that bring people together. Through feedback during the public engagement process, the MDP supports:
- Business diversification to support a strong, local economy
- Mixed-use buildings that combine homes, shops, and workspaces
- Design guidelines that reflect the history and identity of each town
- Protected mountain views that define the beauty and character of our region
Did You Know?
A Community Revitalization Levy (CRL) is a tool municipalities can use to fund public improvements in a specific area. By using property tax growth from that area, a CRL could help fund upgrades like sidewalks, lighting, and public spaces. These changes can attract private investment and help transform local downtowns — benefiting residents, businesses, and visitors.
What’s Next?
Next week, we’ll take a closer look at the unique vision for each of our community downtowns. Be sure to follow along as we continue this series — and thank you for being part of this community conversation about our shared future.