Where I Come From — Banff/Canmore, Canada
I was fortunate to grow up in two beautiful towns.
I was born in Banff, Alberta, Canada in 1976.
I know that I am from a select few that have had this good fortune, and in fact, I have recently learned that people born in Banff or Canmore are dubbed “Unicorns” by those who aren’t from there. Without confirming the reason for this, I can only imagine that people think that nobody could possibly be so lucky as to have been born in such a spectacular place.
It’s as if we are all mythical creatures or something.
I lived there until I was three, then my family moved 20km down the road to the much quieter town of Canmore. I spent the rest of my childhood living in Canmore, but of course, Banff was also such a huge part of this time in my life. Since I already wrote my post about Canmore a while ago, I will focus this post more on Banff.
Banff National Park was the first national park in Canada. Its towering mountains, fresh river water, clean mountain air, and stunning lakes and forests make this area a true gem of Canada. In fact, it is certainly one of the most visited tourist sights in the country, pulling in millions of visitors each year.
Lucky for me, my childhood was quite simply spent in paradise.
Growing up, we always thought of Banff as Canmore’s big sister. The towns are quite similar geologically, but they were different at their core. Back then, Canmore had not gained the tourism recognition that it has these days. It was a much smaller town, population-wise, so Banff had all of the cool things to do.
Like most kids tend to do when describing their rival town, we put it down. We figured that Banff sucked because it was so busy in comparison to Canmore, and of course, Banff kids were snobs.
Or so we thought.
But that didn’t stop us from using the town for what we needed.
Swimming Lessons
As a small kid, my mom would drive me to the Sally Borden Pool for swimming lessons, because, at the time, Canmore only had one public pool that was at a motel on the highway, and it was outdoors. I remember feeling so cool swimming in that big pool, and that big building and I loved swimming lessons there.
My Dad worked at the Banff Centre, which also housed the Sally Borden Building so I inevitably spent much time up there. It is located on Tunnel Mountain, in the heart of the town, and I took for granted the adorable little trails that crisscross the property, and the quaint little stairways that go from building to building.
My Dad is one of the founders of the Banff Mountain Film Festival (which coincidentally started just 10 days after I was born!) which is housed at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and I spent many years with my parents at the festival watching films and mingling with climbing greats.
I had no idea, at that time, just how lucky I was to not only be living where I was but to just be part of such a monumental film event that has now spanned the globe numerous times. While in Canada visiting last, we were very grateful when my Dad offered us his tickets for that year's festival. We felt so fortunate to attend the event, and it brought back many great memories of my childhood.
Learning to ski.
Of course, I also learned to ski at Mount Norquay, Banff’s local ski hill. My Dad took me up there from the age of 3 on, and it wasn’t too long before I was beating him to the bottom. Many times, a day of skiing would conclude with a stop at Banff McDonalds, then the closest McDonalds we had to Canmore. It was the cutest little McDonalds ever, built with all wood and stone, complete with a rustic little fireplace. (Unfortunately, it has now been modernized, and looks, at least through the windows, to be as stark and uninteresting as any other Mcdonalds!)
My favorite dish? 6 McNuggets and fries of course! (My adult self is disgusted!)
New Year's Eve Parties
Every New Year's Eve for quite a few years, many Banff and Canmore locals would flock to Lake Minnewanka to have a raucous party in one of the picnic shelters on the lake. Somebody would bring heavy-duty tarps to block the windows so that the harshness of the winter temperatures would stay outside, while they got the fires roaring on the inside.
The parents would shovel off a section of the lake so that we kids could skate on it, and I remember more than one painful time that I would have to come back in to get my dad to rub life back into my feet, as they had become frozen ice blocks. The adults would become increasingly drunk, the kids would be a pile of snowsuits sleeping in the corner, New Year would come and go, and everyone would simply drive home. Clearly, NOT something that could or would happen nowadays!
Birthday Parties
For a time, no childhood birthday party would be complete without a trip to the water slides in Banff. The Douglas Fir Resort, one of the hotels on the outskirts of the town, was our go-to place for this. I recall numerous visits to these waterslides as kids, and though small in stature, they thrilled us to bits. It didn’t take much to excite us small-town kids!
Shopping
I also remember trips to Banff to shop at The Hudson Bay Company (HBC), the only major department store that existed in the Bow Valley at the time. Of course, these trips would be combined with a visit to the Candy Store and often an ice cream at Grizzly House, depending on the time of year. When we had visitors come to town, we would take them down Banff Avenue and we always had to also make stops in the Christmas Store and The Body Shop.
Driving To Banff
My later memories start after I gained the freedom to drive a vehicle. From the age of 16 on, trips to Banff were just part of my perspective. If it wasn’t me driving there, it was one of my friends, and we would usually head in at least a couple of times a week.
In one of my many acts of rebellion, however, I drove into Banff, driving my friends' car, with only my learner's license! All I know is that there were a bunch of us girls, and we were bored, and we REALLY wanted to go to Banff. The next thing I knew, much to the humiliation and scared shitless-ness of my passengers, I was stalling the standard shift car repeatedly down the length of Banff Avenue.
I’m pretty sure Banff Avenue was the only thing we saw that day. We were much too scared to actually get out of the car lest somebody actually figured out that we weren’t old enough to be driving by ourselves. We somehow made it out in one piece, and not arrested, and arrived back in Canmore, vowing that we would never repeat that event again. After all, the owner of the car was only a month or two from turning 16 and getting her own proper license!
The freedom that comes with having a driver's license is palpable. I remember driving with the window down on the highway, feeling the wind blow on my face, and just feeling like I could do anything in the world now that I had my license.
Quite often an afternoon of a few of us hanging out at Craig's (in Canmore) drinking coffee would end when one suggested that we should go to Banff, and off we went. Many times we would head up to the Banff Springs Hotel and get lost in the expanse of corridors inside, and of course, we went bowling a time or two as well.
Canmore, of course, didn’t have a bowling alley.
Going to the movies
You might guess, by now, that Canmore also didn’t have a movie theatre (and still doesn’t!). Tuesday was locals night at the Lux Cinema in Banff, so we would all pile into Banff to watch the latest and greatest release for only $5. Usually, there were 2 or 3 vehicles full of us, and of course, we would run into other friends from school that had gone as well. We would then roam the streets at night, just reveling in the glitz and glamour of Banff Avenue, sometimes stopping in at Eddies Pool Hall where we would play pool and hang out, enjoying the carefree life of a teenager.
On my recent visit back home, I was thrilled when I took Chris there for a movie, and it was the exact same way as I remember it.
Lazy days driving around
Summertime meant that we would drive in and check out Bow Falls, drive down to the Banff Springs Golf Course, explore around Tunnel Mountain, or drive up Mount Norquay to check out the view. Of course, many kids experienced floating, in some device or another, from Banff to Canmore along the surface of the Bow River.
A Dip in the Hot Springs
The Banff Hot Springs was our big backyard hot tub that we frequented often. We would go all times of the year to revel in the heat of the waters. Winter was the most fun when it was minus 40C (-40F). After braving the cold to get into the pool, we would set about creating whacky hairdos that would freeze solid in the frigid temperatures.
While visiting Canada last, I took Chris there and was thrilled that the price is still very reasonable at $8.30. I assumed that like all other things in Banff, this price would have gone sky-high, but it has remained an affordable treat for every sort of visitor to Banff.
Partying in the clubs
Our legal years (18+) (and maybe one or two before that;) ) would bring us into Banff to party in the clubs. Canmore didn’t have venues that played wild and raucous club-style music, so again, we would all pile into Banff to take part in this strange right of passage affair.
The Back Alley and Silver City (also dubbed Syphilis City for obvious reasons) were our favorites. Many nights we would go to one or the other, or bounce around between the two trying to find the most fun possible. We also sometimes found ourselves caught up in the wildness of Wild Bill’s Saloon!
As the name implies, it was always a good time!
Back in those days, we were allowed to be carefree kids. We didn’t have to worry about date rape drugs or any number of other things that teens have to deal with nowadays. I feel like we were part of the last generation that could go out and have a good time, completely worry-free, and for that, I am so thankful.
Most times we had a designated driver to take us home, but there was the odd night that a few of us would sleep in the car until early the next morning when one would drive, with one eye open, and we would slink back home smelling of booze and stale cigarette smoke. (Yes, they still smoked inside back then!)
Our parents were thrilled with us I’m sure!
Working
In later years I had a job working at the Banff Springs Golf Course Pro Shop for one summer. This again gave me a different perspective of Banff and was my first introduction to truly working with tourists. Only in recent years have I acknowledged that I actually grew up in one of the world's TOP tourist destinations. I mean I knew that lots of travelers came to Banff. When I was a kid the streets were lined with busloads of Japanese, all standing at attention, cameras poised and ready, but I definitely didn’t put it all together then.
I definitely didn’t understand the majestic beauty that existed all around me day and night. I, for sure, didn’t understand what privilege I had as a child living in a place where I was free to ride my bike all over town, go hiking in the woods whenever I choose and just be wild and free. And I don’t think I understood how nice it was to be part of a genuine small-town community, to be surrounded by people who truly care for one another.
It wasn’t until I moved away from Canmore and the Banff area permanently in 2002, that I started to realize just how beautiful it all is, and age has brought an appreciation for the community and the group of people who collectively raised me. Of course, we appreciated the outdoors when we were kids, back then we spent our lives outside. We would go on hikes and marvel at the views, and we would climb the mountains just for something to do. But it was all just normal to us, it was our everyday reality.
In retrospect, I can see that I took it for granted, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
But now, I truly do realize just how lucky I was to grow up in this majestic place. It’s not the tropical paradise that one conjures up when the word paradise is mentioned, but it is certainly a paradise of its own accord. The clean water and clean air are marveled at by people from far reaches of the world, who also come to enjoy the plethora of spectacular mountains, lakes, trees, and rivers.
The names Banff and Canmore have become synonymous with mountains and outdoor recreation, fit people, and world-class athletes.
People flock to this valley to get but a taste of what it would be like to live here. Many who still live there, struggle greatly to keep afloat financially, with the ridiculous rates of inflation and costs of housing and living. But Banff and Canmore are also both places that know unimaginable amounts of wealth and overabundance. Above it all, and despite what class of person you are, my hope is that people who live here truly appreciate the stunning beauty that surrounds them.
I am thankful that I have chosen a life that allowed me to spend a good amount of time back in my hometown area recently. That visit, again, solidified my foundation, and it reminded me that I am one of the fortunate ones, and it helped me to recall parts of me that had been lost.
I guess you could say that I am one lucky little unicorn indeed!
And, you know, maybe, at the age of 45, it’s finally time to admit that Banff doesn’t suck so bad after all!
Thanks to the Globetrotters publication for hosting May’s challenge:
Here are a few other posts by Globetrotters writers:
Hi there, we are 2 Canadians, Jill and Chris from Artistic Voyages. We have been nomadic since 2017 living in numerous different countries, and experiencing the life and diversity of our planet on the ground and firsthand. We have now been on the African continent for over 2 years!
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