Across the river from downtown, Cascade Gardens offers a commanding view along Banff Avenue and of Cascade Mountain. The gardens are immaculately manicured, making for enjoyable strolling on a sunny day.
The stone edifice in the center of the garden is the Park Administration Building (101 Mountain Ave.), which dates to 1936. It replaced a private spa and hospital operated by one of the park’s earliest entrepreneurs, Dr. R. G. Brett. Known as Brett’s Sanatorium, the original 1886 structure was built to accommodate guests drawn to Banff [1] by the claimed healing qualities of the hot springs’ water.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/canadian-rockies/banff-and-jasper-national-parks/town-banff