Editor:
Wow, that was quite the vicious and angry attack on Alpine Helicopters by Bob Smerek in last week’s letters.
Being a new resident of Canmore, Mr. Smerek may not realize that the Canmore heliport actually was once well outside of town. It was there first and the town has grown around it.
Back then, Silvertip and Three Sisters were virtual wilderness and Cougar Creek, Eagle Terrace and Grotto Mountain Village was a barely touched alluvial fan. The heliport was all by itself way down Highway1A and well out of town with only the Ford car yard for company.
What has driven that growth that surrounded it, Mr. Smerek? Well, ironically, people like you and many of the rest of us. There are very few current residents who were actually born here or who can claim any kind of generational history.
As the town has grown, Alpine Helicopters has done all it can to adapt flight paths and operations to be a good neighbour to new residential areas. Yes, the company makes good revenue from sightseeing tours. It also provides no end of services to the entire Mountain Parks and Kananaskis area, including supporting many of the front and back-country amenities we all take for granted.
In particular though, Alpine Helicopters has a long history of providing rapid response life-saving rescue services on remote stretches of highway, back-country trails and alpine peaks. Make no mistake, the company’s pilots perform true daredevil work with skill and guts in some very sketchy situations long-lining rescuers and patients to safety.
They know how to fly in these mountains better than anyone and that matters when it’s your butt on the hook. Many people owe their lives to that service. We are fortunate to have the company here. If Mr Smerek thinks that level of short-notice, stand-by, professional mountain rescue service would be funded or made available solely by government without the tourism revenue support, then his head is spinning like a rotor-blade.
Mr. Smerek wraps up his rant with what amounts to ‘I came here expecting perfection in the wilderness and you all suck,’ followed by a threat to go elsewhere if we don’t all march to the beat of his imported drum.
Well, Mr. Smerek, this town has had its share of challenges over the past few decades. It’s found its way through most of them. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty special none-the-less.
There have been various compromises along the way and that’s what this situation will need as well. Alpine Helicopters is part of this community. Contrary to Mr. Smerek’s allegation, Canmore shows huge inclusive, caring and welcoming community spirit and is by no means “totally focused on development and tourism at any cost”.
Anyone who has been around here a while knows that very well. Does he think his own presence is without impact here? We all have to take ownership of our share.
Mr. Smerek, I suggest that if you have so little regard for Canmore, then by all means exercise your freedom to go elsewhere. It’s your choice, but please don’t stamp your foot and slam the door behind you, we’re trying to keep the noise down.
Chris Conway,
Canmore
