The pace of change is rapid – and to many, frighteningly so.
The population has almost doubled in the past 14 years, from 12,000 to approximately 20,000 today, and the pace of growth continues unabated. Virtually every District of Squamish council meeting includes a proposal from a developer to build new housing that will allow more and more people to move to this Eden wedged between the ocean and mountains, just far enough away from the madding crowds.
The most recent proposal this past week was for a small development of 29 townhouses in Dentville. But also on the table is the Oceanfront development, which would bring 6,500 new residents to Nexen Beach area. This comes on the tails of discussions of other new projects such as the tiny Hummingbird Lane eight-home subdivision, the 750-house Cheekye Fan development and the massive Garibaldi at Squamish ski resort village that would have beds for 20,000 people north of town.
Town? Or is that city? Keep your eyes open as the change is so rapid, you may wake up in a city next month. Officially, Squamish is a district, but many have begun to refer to the community as a city to reflect the new dynamic of gentrified urban folk who have rolled into town and bought homes. Many commute to Vancouver each day for work.
“Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change,” wrote Mary Shelley in the classic horror tale Frankenstein. And it’s clear that many in the community fear the change that is happening, that the district is desperately trying to manage by increasing its staff to handle all the new proposals and community demands.
The old guard is reaching out to educate the newcomers about the good old days in Squamish. Despite the usual friendliness of the town, you’ll hear questions like: “How long have you been here?” They aren’t always asking out of interest; sometimes it’s to ensure you know your place. These residents pine for yesterday, when things were calmer, when the sounds of machinery building condos were not part of the everyday.
This is a time of caution, when the old-timers need to realize it’s best to keep a positive attitude and embrace newcomers, and when the new residents need to acknowledge Squamish’s proud roots as a working town. It’s a time when we need to strive for peace and together build the prosperous yet peaceful town we all want.
– Editor Christine Endicott
