Planning for the Future
Past, present, and the future of the ACC’s Canmore Clubhouse
The ACC is an integral part of the Canmore community and has been for over 50 years. First opening its doors in 1973, the Canmore Clubhouse has served as a landing base for mountain adventurers from across Canada and around the globe, as well as a community hub for those who call the Bow Valley home.
From humble beginnings, offering just six backcountry huts in the early 1970s, the ACC now services an invaluable hut network of over 26 huts across the Rockies. As the demand to serve the mountain community continues to grow, so too do the challenges of maintaining an extensive hut network, local community hub, and growing non-profit organization on nearly the same physical framework and facilities footprint that the Club did all those years ago.
Serving an expansive and expanding community, the ACC as an organization continues to grow to meet the needs of members and visitors year-round. In order to do this effectively, some upgrades and improvements need to be made to the Canmore Clubhouse and grounds. Improvements to staff housing, road access, and parking, as well as modernizing our storage and maintenance building and other existing infrastructure are all integral to the continued provision of the ACC’s services to the community.
Planning for the future
The Canmore Clubhouse is located on Provincial lease land in the Town of Canmore. In order to make the necessary upgrades to the Clubhouse, the ACC requires an amendment to the current Canmore Land Use Bylaw from the existing Conservation of Wildlands District to a Direct Control District. With careful consideration, the ACC has developed and submitted a proposal to the Town of Canmore for a Future Land Use Concept that would guide the change in Bylaw.
The Future Land Use Concept provides the Town with a comprehensive overview of the prospective needs of the ACC over the short, medium, and long-term. The detailed plan also provides the Town of Canmore assurance that the ACC intends to upgrade necessary facilities with the best interests of the Town and local community in mind. The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) has been accepted by the Town as complete.
As a non-profit organization, an approval of the Future Land Use Concept would enable the ACC to prioritize facility improvements over time. Implementation is a multi-year project as annual budgets and grants allow. Projects covered under the proposal include:
- Safer access road
Regraded to improve emergency access and services
- On-site parking improvement
Consolidated parking for trail users, courses, and guests
- New maintenance facility
Modern building and secure, screened service yard
- Staff housing options
Improved and expanded on-site accommodations for employees
- Improved work and visitor spaces
Updated offices and refreshed guest amenities (with no increase in beds) - Environmental and infrastructure upgrades
Wastewater improvements and wildlife protection measures
With over 50 years of history now permeating the walls of the Canmore Clubhouse, the ACC provides an immeasurable benefit to the mountain community through its Canmore operations. Looking ahead to the future, the ACC’s infrastructure requires necessary upgrades to continue to provide and expand the irreplaceable services that have entrenched its legacy in the Canadian Rockies.
