History lesson provides a framework for modern day Canmore
I don't know about you, but when I arrive at some new and unfamiliar place after traveling a good distance in an airplane, I suffer a vertigo-like few minutes where time and space compress. The numbers on the clock, and even the date on the calendar become almost irrelevant as I survey my new surroundings and get my bearings.
I spend a lot of time thinking about what must go through the minds of newcomers to Canmore - those who have happened upon this place while driving across the country, or those who arrive for a holiday they've been planning for years.
I get into the mindset of the newcomer not only because it is my job to think this way for the benefit of SolaraLife readers. I do it also out of a natural curiosity. The most common question I ask on vacation is the same question I hear so often in Canmore: "Where are you from?"
I like to think that SolaraLife is a collective vision of where we're from, the result of a number of voices and impressions and passions that give a pretty good overall picture of this place.
This edition of SolaraLife has a few stories that may get you thinking about the 'time and space' concept I mentioned above. Two historical pieces by Canmore writer Rob Alexander take a look at the life of early exploration and settlement in the Canadian west, and particularly this area of the Canadian Rockies. While one piece details events of the century beginning in 1805, the other tells the tale of some hale and hearty women who are today well known as explorers in their own right.
Alberta is celebrating its centennial year in 2005, which is a time for reflection on how far this province has come in a relatively short period of time. That's the impression I was left with after reading these historical pieces. To put it in perspective, I know people from other corners of the globe who live in houses three and four centuries old. Here in Canmore, a building that is 50 or 60 years old might be considered by some to be a heritage structure.
|
Alberta's Centennial is being celebrated in many ways in Canmore and Banff. You will also read about a photo exhibit called Faces of Canmore, which features gorgeous, large black and white images of a cross-section of people who call this town their home in 2005. There are teachers and small business people, climbers and school children, musicians and chefs, doctors and dentists. At first glance, you might think it's like any small town. But look a little longer and you will see that it is not.
In my mind, Canmore is still in a very exciting stage of its evolving history. The Faces of Canmore exhibit is a snapshot of this time in this place, and I really like what I see.
- Shari Bishop Bowes, Editor, SolaraLife
We welcome your comments and suggestions, as well as submissions from freelance writers who have a passion for the Canadian Rockies. Contact us at contact@solaralife.com
|
