Canmore, Alberta
Canmore is best known for the Canmore Nordic Centre, the host of the cross country and biathlon events in the 1988 Winter Olympic games. It is also known for the cheapest gas between Calgary and Vancouver (no BC sales taxes, no National Parks rents) and lots of hotel rooms and restaurants close to the Trans-Canada Highway. Building restrictions in Banff limiting the development of residences, commercial offices and stores, and accommodations has made Canmore a boom-town, until it recently decided to voluntarily impose its own restrictions. Many people working in Banff actually live in Canmore and commute into town, not only for the lower cost of living but also for its quiet, relaxed, un-touristy feel.
Canmore is nestled on the eastern edge of the Rockies, on the northern end of the Kananaskis range, and has its own micro-climate. It is in the rain shadow of the Rockies and on the start of the Chinook Belt. It receives 47 cm of rain (19 inches) per year, and receives very little snow accumulation.
|