Notes on My Hometown — Canmore, Alberta Canada

It’s not the hidden gem that it once was.

Crystal clear water fills many ponds, streams, and rivers in my hometown of Canmore, Alberta. Photo Credit: Author

I grew up in Canmore, Alberta, Canada.

You probably think that growing up in a place would make me an expert on it. Like I should know all the ins and outs of the town; the good places to eat, the perfect store to shop in, or the best bar.

But I don’t. Not even close.

So much has changed in the small Rocky Mountain town that I once knew. Being away now for 20+ years, I feel so at home, yet like such a stranger, when I visit. Massive developments are ongoing, stores open and close, restaurants come and go, a few box stores have moved in, and there are traffic jams at rush hour! (When the heck did we get a rush hour??) At least I can still attest to knowing where many great trails are, or where the swimming holes are, most of those haven’t changed too much.

Of course, there are the familiar stores that were there when I was a child, and a few restaurants that have stood the test of time. The Legion is still going strong, and the Canmore Golf Club is a constant mainstay, but the town as I knew it, generally doesn’t exist anymore.

One thing that does still exist, and will never change, however, is the stunning beauty that surrounds it. Those mountains. Those impossibly…