Each year at this time, the Outlook looks at the year past to share, one last time, the year that is about to end.
We’ve taken our annual look over our collective shoulders at events that occurred throughout the Bow Valley and, as always, there’s no end to the stories. The Bow Valley, in so many ways, is unique. Our communities feature small towns and hamlets, but what occurs here often has a significance of a regional, national or international scale.
From grizzly bears to ski racing to tourism, we have it all, and from a weekly-newspaper perspective, there’s rarely a slow news week.
It all helps to make life in the Valley rewarding and interesting, but those same elements also ensure life in the Valley can be challenging, difficult and trying.
The least we can all do is ensure the reasons we stay in the Bow Valley outweigh reasons to leave. We can maintain small-town values by volunteering, respecting others, being friendly – true Bow Valley locals say ‘hello’ to one another on the street – and, believe it or not, drive slowly and patiently for the sake of both our citizens and our wildlife.
This all serves to maintain a sense of community, which is the valley’s real asset. Yes, the mountains are magnificent, but mountains alone do not build community. They draw many here, but it is the feeling of being an important part of the community that keeps us here.
For 2012, RMO has a wish list for the Bow Valley, which includes:
3 a raise for Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen;
3 continued red-hot results for our ski athletes, both at home and abroad;
3 signs of successful results from the CP Rail action plan to result in a sharp reduction in bear/wildlife deaths on the rails;
3 Parks Canada to focus on the top priority within its mandate, to protect ecological integrity, in particular with respect to the mountain parks;
3 the creation of a community liaison group to work with Lafarge on issues of dust and noise in Exshaw to reduce angst;
3 moving forward on the successful creation of a regional transportation system that will benefit both our communities and tourism;
3 the settling of the issue of Canmore’s feral rabbit issue – we’re tired of bunny letters and assume readers are tired of reading them;
3 completion of construction of the Canmore Multiplex, with it being both under budget and on-time and with the support of the climbing community;
3 a steady economy with a evening of housing prices and an economy that will be a boon to the small business climate in the Valley;
3 completion and decisions on Phase II of Banff’s Land Use Bylaw;
3 the successful resolution of setting the location of Banff Legacy Trail through the MD of Bighorn;
3for Valley junior hockey teams, a solid finish to the season and suceess in the playoffs;
3 provincial recognition that ecological integrity be a high priority for parks in Alberta;
3 continued strong representation in the arts community, be it music, theatre, writing, painting, sculpting and other endeavours.
The Rocky Mountain Outlook wishes the best for everyone in 2012.
