It was just meant to be a fun post to engage The Chief readers over a weekend, but it turned into something more profound.
With “Squamish Then and Now on Facebook, we asked readers to provide an example of a landmark they remember in Squamish and what replaced it.
The response was overwhelming. We have received hundreds of examples, everything from memories of Dairy Queen to forested areas that are now developed.
Looking at the replies, some themes emerge.
A longing for green space within town was a common refrain, with the forested areas that are now Garibaldi Village mall and the Eaglewind housing development mentioned a few times.
And, while there are definitely some tangible places of ‘old’ Squamish — the DQ, bowling alley, movie theatre and outdoor pool, for example — that people miss, what many were expressing was really nostalgia for connectedness with other members of their community.
Several posters mentioned the welcoming and friendly owners of the businesses they recalled or that a certain place was where they hung out with friends or went on a date.
Change has happened so fast in Squamish, that many are feeling alienated in the town they grew up in.
We have talked to returning Squamish university students who, after a semester or two away, feel disoriented by the new businesses and developments that greet them.
Of course, this doesn’t make the changes all bad.
After all, as one poster noted, Squamish’s previous tight-knit community of yesteryear came at a cost.
“Squamish was very isolated back then,” recalled Kerry Brown. “It could take three or four hours to get to Pemberton depending on the road conditions. It was an hour and a half to North Van… Not everyone had telephones. Those who did shared a party line with two or three other families. Radio and TV reception in Squamish was extremely poor. The Vancouver Sun newspaper was a day late. It was a paradise growing up here, but we were very, very isolated from the rest of the world.”
Bottom line, we all — old and new — desperately want to belong here.
If you have been here a long time, share your memories as you welcome a new neighbour.
New residents, take an interest in what and who built this town, what it means to those who knew it before Squamish was the cool place to be.
After all, one day those Squamish little kids currently running down the sidewalk and playing in the park will hopefully recall the really great connections they made in various places around town.
Editor's note: The newspaper's weekly editorial represents the opinion of The Chief's editorial department.
