Banff parking proves small towns can be smart

When the term "smart city" comes to mind, it's usually accompanied by an image of a sprawling metropolis with millions of residents milling about with their different modes of transportation. But Banff proved that doesn't always have to be the case.A small resort town with a population of around 8,000 and located inside a national park, Banff had the unique challenge of accommodating their 4.5 million yearly seasonal visitors. The local Council had to figure out how to best utilize 2,000 of Banff's parking spots during peak season, which sees upwards of 30,000 people making the small town their home.Engineers and enforcement officers worked together to mix traditional practices with modern technology in order to make Banff a smart town and solve age-old parking problems. There’s no doubt; size has nothing to do with being a connected city (or town). Small towns can create real-time responses by using data to make things run smoothly, even without the million-dollar budgets of metropolitan areas. Banff is an example of how technology can help authorities implement creative, highly-customized solutions that educate the local population and provide answers to specific community needs.You can find out more about how gtechna helped turn this small town into a smart city here.