It was never just a small town. And despite its growth, Squamish will always remain a community.
The idea circled my brain after a conversation with Corrine Lonsdale, former mayor and district councillor for 25 years. She’s never liked the word “town” and when I asked her why she simply answered, “It’s a community.”
It’s what attracted me years ago. And what I’ve been in awe and appreciation of ever since I started reporting. It’s why so many people want to move here.
Barb Hinde, local gardener and legend of the earth, told me she finally decided to move up here after bumping into a stranger on the Chief Head trail who said, “It’s not too much to look at, but the people are fantastic.”
This eclectic and ever-growing group of people is what has made Squamish special — since it was an isolated logging community.
Of course, there are serious challenges. Like jobs. There aren’t any. Service jobs are seasonal and comprise a lot of the local economy. Transportation and commuting become more difficult when your job isn’t where you live.
We don’t often talk about ethnicity openly here in Squamish. But everyone that moved here came from somewhere else. That’s the magic of this place! Also, Squamish breeds more entrepreneurs per capita than most of Canada and more people who decide how they want to live based on personal values.
Then there’s the out-migration of our seniors, who have built this community. That’s because affordability and property values are problems too. However, there are still many left, with generations of family members adapting to Squamish’s changes.
The farming spirit of history lives on: It’s just changed face. Through the incredible work of individuals, along with the help of organizations and the District, Squamish is one of the most progressive regions for food systems — from the independent grower to the farmer producing on five separate plots of land.
There’s a lack of land and lots of development, leaving many members of the community vying for their dreams of the future.
Like others here, I’m in my thirties, I’ve been juggling jobs, and commuting can be difficult.
Even if Squamish turns into a full-blown metropolis (help us), I’m reminded of Lonsdale’s comment about what I fell deeply in love with years ago — the people.
