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06yourcanmoresummer2012Wedidnx19talwaysthinksofondlyhowever.FormorethanacenturyBanffwasthebiggerwealthiersisterwelovedtohateandhatedtolove.IthadeverythingCanmoredidnotx13wealthytouristsupscalehotelsbeautifulloghomesinternationalacclaimandascrappylocalhockeyteamthatfosteredthekindofsmall-townrivalrythatwasnx19talwaysfriendly.Canmorethegrubbylittletownofwoodenshacksjustdowntheriverjusthadcoalx13coalthatpoweredthetrainsthathauledallthosetensofthousandsofrichvisitorsstreamingintoBanffNationalPark.Wewerenx19tevenareststopalongtheway.Thesedayshoweverx13withCanmoregrownintoarecreationalresortinitsownrightx13allisforgiven.ThehistoriesofBanffandCanmoreareinextricablyentwinedx13twosidesofthesamecointhatsawtheCanadianPacix19cRailwayopenupthewest.HadCanmorenotbeenthesourceofallthatcoalwetoowouldhavelivedwithinthenationalparkboundariesandindeedx13foratimex13wedid.Banffasahumanconstructbeganin1887astheBanffHotSpringReservea26sqkmspitoflandaroundawondrouscaveofthermalhotwaterx18discoveredx19in1885byCPRworkersWilliamandTomMcCardellandFrankMcCabeontheslopesofSulphurMountain.SirJohnA.Macdonaldcreatedthetinyprotectedareax13theseedofCanadax19sx19rstnationalparkx13tosettledisputingclaimsoverownershipofthecavedecreeingthatthespringswouldbelongtoallCanadians.ImmediatelytheCPRswungintoactionwithconstructionotheBanSpringsHotelandChateauLakeLouiseandamassiveadvertisingcampaigntolurewealthyEuropeansandAmericanstothearea.ItworkedfabulouslyintheGoldenAgeofindustrialrevolutionfortunesandahungerforexplorationandadventureamongtheworldx19smoneyedclasses.Bythelate19thcenturySwissmountainguideswerebeingimportedtohelpthosetouristsgetsafelyupanddownBanffx19smountains.Beginningin1902theareax19sFirstNationspeoplebeganaweek-longfestivalknownasBanffIndianDaystheexoticnatureofwhichwasamagnettooutsidevisitors.In1917Banffx19sWinterCarnivalbeganwithskiingcurlingskijumpingandsnowshoeingcompetitionsaswellasamassiveicepalace.Forthex19rstfourdecadesofitsexistencetheparkx19sboundariesshiftedseveraltimesasthegovernmentsoughttoincludemoreareasforprotectionandexcludeincompatibleactivitiessuchasranchinginthefoothillsloggingintheItx19soxetensaidthatoneoxethebestthingsaboutlivinginCanmoreisthatitx19srightbesideBanf.Wecanavailourselvesoxeallouriconicneighbourhastooferxeromitsworld-classskiresortsandoutdoorrecreationalopportunitiestoitsdowntownnightlixeeandBanfCentreconcertsandbebackhomewithinminutestoourownquieterenvirons.THEHISTORIESOFBANFFANDCANMOREAREINEXTRICABLYENTWINEDx13TWOSIDESOFTHESAMECOINTHATSAWTHECANADIANPACIFICRAILWAYOPENUPTHEWEST.HADCANMORENOTBEENTHESOURCEOFALLTHATCOALWETOOWOULDHAVELIVEDWITHINTHENATIONALPARKBOUNDARIES.ABackwardGlanceForwardGlimpseatBanffNationalParkByGuestContributorCAROLPICARD