When you first arrive in a community, first impressions often colour the way you feel about it for years to come. I arrived in Squamish Nov. 1, thrilled to begin working as Editor of The Squamish Chief and living in this mountain paradise.
I was elated to discover that people are friendly. As I moved in my things, people in my condo building went out of their way to hold doors or the elevator, and a teenager even picked up a large box that had split open and carried the entire thing into my place without being asked. Later, I casually asked a man about the location of the storage areas and he got off the elevator on my floor to help me hunt for my locker.
People wanted to help.
The sun was shining, people were hiking and cycling, and everyone seemed to be wearing toques, as if they were going to ski at any moment. In fact, some people wear toques daily at the office, along with rubber boots that seem de rigueur for Squamites. Obviously I will need to buy a pair, too, so I can walk the trails even in downpours.
There were also a few negatives in my first impressions. I witnessed, soon after rolling into town, teenagers kicking a hubcap around. They seemed listless and bored. I was also surprised by some signs of obvious poverty: children with worn clothes and poor shoes walking along the road, contrasting the obvious wealth of the upscale homes of Brackendale.
But regardless of where you live in Squamish, the views are spectacular, and I imagine most of you feel as lucky as I do to open the blinds every morning and see majestic peaks. As I walk to work in the morning, it doesn’t seem real. I feel I am in a movie set among the cliffs. In fact, as I arrived, a film crew was set up downtown.
My daughters are excited that Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Radcliffe, the entire Twilight crew and The Rock (wrestler Dwayne Johnson) have roamed Squamish streets, creating an aura of star-dusted excitement.
Eventually the charm of being in Squamish will wear off. Maybe in 100 years or so. Right now, I am thrilled to be living and working in this spectacular place.
