I am told that this town once had a movie theatre. The famed Garibaldi 5 Cinema shut down a mere year before I moved in, and the almost mythical stories I hear about it speak of a different era. Nowadays, the privilege to go to a theatre in Squamish is unthinkable to me. With the nearest theatres in Whistler and North Vancouver, the joys of cinema are an occasional treat, and it’s not uncommon for me to shrug away conversations with my more movie-junkie urban friends.
Now, I’m not complaining, but in honesty if you’re not a snowboarder, skier, skateboarder or mountain biker, or if you prefer not to do any of the above listed on an all too typical rainy day, running out of options is only a matter of time. Too many rainy Friday nights have been spent at home, engaging only with the all too accessible and standardized entertainments of mass media.
Granted that having nothing to do in Squamish can be quite a relaxing experience (staring endlessly at Mount Nch’kay tends to be euphoric), there seems to me to be a real craving among our youth for culture. Now, Squamish has a very strong culture in adventure sports, and it’s something we should all be proud of as a town, but a diversification of our recreational activity could lead to wonders for our collective identity, especially as the town grows increasingly larger, younger and more reflective.
And it’s becoming apparent to me that as the town changes so rapidly, this inevitable diversification is also occurring. Just within this past year, for example, downtown has seen the opening of the Up with Art store, which I am told holds fantastic weekly workshops; and the Squamish Music Academy, whose talent I can appreciate from within the office.
There is a rapidly growing list of initiatives Squamish has enjoyed recently, including the opening of Kelly’s Electibles three years ago; the theatrical production of The Odd Couple; a stream of exciting concerts at the Brackendale Art Gallery; and increasingly well-known guest stars at the Knotty Burl. I am most excited by the growing interest in multicultural events as well, and the multicultural day at Totem Hall on July 1st is expected to be the largest one yet.
All in all, it’s a very exciting time for the evolution of our unique Squamish culture, and I cannot wait to see how this will affect the way we reflect on our self-perceptions as a community.
- Zuber Singh is The Chief’s current intern and a Quest University student
