We began a business in Banff in 1966 and started the long search for a suitable place to build our ‘Dream Home’. We finally decided on a big corner lot and a half on the “Old Golf Course” in Canmore. The price of the lot and a half was $5,300.00. It was now 1969 and the cost of the house would be $29,900.00 with a place for two fireplaces, one in the basement; five bedrooms, two and a half baths, plus a shower, and consisted of five levels – also a double garage. We had several upgrades in the home, but the original price was as stated above. In the fall of 1971, we moved in. We loved that house. I still remember every nook and cranny. We were surrounded by mountains in a beautiful valley. Our backyard was on the shore of a lovely creek, or pond, where we could hear the loons calling back and forth. At the left side of the house was a quaint little railroad track with a train pulling cars of coal from the mine to the main railroad once or twice a week. The engineer used to wave as he passed by.
There were five new homes on our little street. Ours was the largest in Canmore, we were told. My friend, Irene Randle, sent me photographs of our Place as it is today, showing how the trees have grown. I look at the picture often. After twenty-three I still miss it.
Allen commuted to Banff everyday to work in our store. Bobby, our son, who was ten years old when we moved, loved living in Canmore with miles of gorgeous country to cover in snowmobiles. Bob’s best friend, Brett McLaughlin (whose parents owned the drug store), and Bobby would come home after school each day and drive the snowmobiles all over the place for hours. We always had plenty of snow then! I remember shovelling snow just so we could get in and out of the garage.
Wyn Palmer and Irene Randle were two very good friends. We were all taking courses in Fine Arts from Professor Harry Wolfarth from the U. of A. at the Banff School of Fine Arts. We drove to classes together once a week for several years. We painted outside and inside and explored the area in and around Canmore, searching out old buildings. To this day, they are still my best friends, always there when I need them. The people in Canmore were all very friendly.
When we looked out our front door, we saw miles of beautiful natural scenes. I am told that now you see miles of homes, larger and more beautiful than ours, but to me, ours will always be the grandest.
In Canmore Seniors at the Summit, ed. Canmore Seniors Association, 2000, p. 96-97
