Basketballs and Pickleball Equipment Stolen From Banff Rotary Park

A series of thefts at Banff Rotary Park has left the community without equipment intended for free public use, with eight new basketballs and a pickleball net and set among the latest items to disappear.

The equipment was placed at the park about two weeks ago for children, families, visitors and other community members to use. According to the Rotary Club of Banff, every new item has since been taken.

Dean Cooper, a past president of the Rotary Club of Banff, said theft and vandalism have been ongoing problems since the redeveloped park opened.

Over the past year, the club says approximately a dozen pickleball nets and sets, more than 50 basketballs and several soccer balls have gone missing. Other stolen or damaged recreational equipment has included frisbees, hula hoops and group games.

Cooper said the problem began soon after the park reopened, with some basketballs deliberately damaged rather than simply taken.

He recalled an earlier period when newly supplied balls were repeatedly found cut with a knife.

The club has also experienced unusual cases involving stolen equipment. On one occasion, a basketball was recovered after someone found it beside a highway and returned it.

Despite repeatedly replacing the equipment, Cooper said every pickleball net supplied by the club has eventually disappeared.

The situation has become particularly frustrating because the Rotary Club invests considerable money and effort into making the park a place where people can access recreational equipment without charge.

The redevelopment of Banff Rotary Park took several years to complete and the redesigned facility officially reopened in June 2025.

The upgraded park includes a playground, day shelter, washroom facilities, a playbox and picnic areas with shaded seating. Its sports court can be used for outdoor skating during winter and provides space for basketball and pickleball during the warmer months.

The approximately $2 million redevelopment was supported through fundraising by the Rotary Club of Banff, along with financial contributions from the Wim and Nancy Pauw Foundation and the Alberta government.

The Town of Banff is responsible for regular maintenance of the park, including maintaining the seasonal skating rink, while the Rotary Club continues to contribute equipment and resources for community use.

The club has also received donations from people who learned about previous thefts and wanted to help replace the missing equipment.

Cooper said the club wants to continue offering free recreational opportunities but acknowledged that repeatedly replacing stolen items places an additional burden on volunteers and donors.

He is asking anyone who witnessed the thefts or has information about where the missing equipment may have gone to contact the Rotary Club of Banff.

The club says its goal remains to keep the park accessible to children, families, visitors and residents.

The thefts are not the first form of damage the park has experienced.

Cooper said that shortly after the park opened, vandals damaged or broke much of the recreational equipment available at the site. The club appealed to the community for assistance and received support from donors who helped replace what had been damaged.

With the latest thefts, the club is now considering additional measures to protect the equipment.

Security cameras have been suggested as one possible solution, but Cooper said installing surveillance equipment presents complications because the park is privately owned by the Rotary Club rather than the Town of Banff.

He said privacy requirements would have to be considered, including secure storage of recorded information and strict controls over who could access it.

For now, the Rotary Club is continuing to assess its options while encouraging the public to help protect equipment intended for everyone.

The repeated thefts have left volunteers disappointed, particularly because the park was designed to provide a welcoming and accessible recreational space for the entire community.

Cooper said the club hopes the equipment can eventually remain available without the constant concern that newly purchased items will disappear within days.

Courtesy: rmoutlook