Now that was a damn fine summer. For starters, the weather simply couldn't have been better, with comforting clouds giving way to fantastic sun that, while bronzing beautiful bodies, never fully baked the backcountry.
Recently, the mornings have an unmistakable chill and the evenings don't stretch quite as far. It's these lazy, back-to-school days that lend themselves so nicely to reminiscing.
One highlight of summer '05 would have to be the Summer Jams at the Farmers' Market. I don't know, perhaps it's my love of the underdog, but I can't help but be inspired by the Squamish Town Centre Association.
As the downtown continues its downward spiral, the STCA continues its valiant fight for life. And thank heavens they do, so we can again enjoy a great year for the market. Sure there's room for improvement, but it certainly held its own as a downtown destination draw. Plus, this year the STCA came up with the brilliant idea of, get this, actually using the pavilion for something other than a place for drunks and punks to smoke a joint while carving their names in the banisters.
The Summer Jam features live performances by local musicians to create a fantastic lively atmosphere, which is just what the pavilion doctor ordered.
Then of course there was the Gearjammer finish line and Lullaby festival also doing their best to revive our core. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Adventure Commerce desperately tried to get to the highway in what will forever go down as the longest three weeks in history. "When's the Adventure Centre open?" Three weeks was always the reply. Two months later it was still three weeks and even now, knowing this won't be read for almost a week, I can confidently commit to print that it will be ready in three weeks.
But now as the seasons change, we wait for the bill and look ahead to an action-packed fall.
Of course the municipal election is in less than three months away and it looks like it's going to be a doozy with our mayor and the New Directions posse officially at the starting gate.
Now, you would think that being in full campaign mode, they would have something to say about CN Rail's historical damage to one of our prized rivers. Yet we hear not a peep. Well that's not entirely true; this week the district let out a tiny, almost apologetic peep to the minister of environment.
The lengthy silence on this topic has many wondering if our blind eye to the shifty sale of BC Rail isn't a permanent disfiguration? It also has many wondering where is the outrage? Where is our multi-million dollar lawsuit for loss of tourism dollars, not to mention devastating damage to the fishing industry?
This community's lack of a backbone leaves me wishing that come November we have someone to vote for that is willing to speak their mind and actually have the gumption to stick up for Squamish.
