High River in top 10 Best Communities for Business in Alberta.

Blog, Talk About Town — By admin on June 7, 2010 7:46 pm

Read about High River chosen as one of Alberta’s best communities for business

High River in Alberta Venture, June 1, 2010

Article in High River Times June 5, 2010

FINDING ROOTS: High River

Poised for growth, this town is embracing change and diversity while remaining deeply rooted it is western heritage.

By Sheila Sepkowski

Driving through the streets, enormous cottonwood trees stand guard around heritage homes and businesses that have stood the test of time. Joe Clark and W.O. Mitchell called some of these places home. There is an enduring western vibe in this town that plays host to the North American Chuckwagon Championships, along with the (Calgary Stampede founder) Guy Weadick Rodeo. In fact, High River is one of few towns in the province where agricultural equipment dealerships still seem to flourish.

In dated black and white photographs of the Town of High River, grain elevators line the railway tracks, where hopeful farmers watch their treasure being loaded onto waiting trains. Other people wait on the train station platform while old cars and trucks dot the streets.

A few decades later, the old elevators are gone, the train station is now the town’s museum (for now) and 12^th avenue will soon expand to accommodate four lanes of traffic and a forward thinking traffic circle. But most of what makes the town so attractive is still standing. High River’s western heritage and old-world charm is not gone and most certainly not forgotten.

The success and growth of the town may be attributable to its ability to mix the ideal combination of the old with the new.

Throughout his 68 years as a resident, Bill Holmes is witness to the town’s evolution. A third generation native of High River, Holmes’ grandparents arrived in 1886 to run Gibb and Holmes General Store. His parents met there and settled down to raise Bill, along with his three older sisters. While his siblings moved away, Bill stayed, drawn to the town’s location, friendly people and his ties to the town’s history.

“I’ve done some traveling. I went away to university, and worked summer jobs. But I never found a place that appealed to me more than High River,” Holmes says. “I figured it was a good place to raise kids.”

Holmes also recognized a common bond among the locals that would keep him in the quiet town. “The people the town seems to attract are the kind of people I enjoy being with. They like the recreation, cultural activities and scenery to the west and wide open spaces to the east.”

His connection to the people has been the constant factor for Holmes as he watched High River change and grow from a town almost totally dependent on ranching and farming, to an economy aimed at serving the needs of a diverse population.

The quaint downtown area is filled with unique shops, restaurants and galleries along with a movie theatre built in 1927 and named to honour Edward, Prince of Wales.

On the east side, hotels and more restaurants have sprung up, along with newly minted communities like Montrose and the Hamptons.

This is good news for Marilyn MacArthur, business and tourism development manager for the Town of High River. With a growing population of over 12,000, companies are starting to take notice. “We are averaging four to six (business) inquiries per week. High River is poised for growth.”

The town also boasts six schools, something that continues to draw families.

One of those new arrivals is Pat Minor, who moved from Medicine Hat with her family three and a half years ago when her husband was transferred to the area. The Minors took their time finding a place, looking at Cochrane, Bragg Creek and Okotoks. However, High River seemed to hold their attention.

“As a kid, I showed horses here and I liked that it was a nice western town,” she said.

Minor also liked the small community atmosphere that offered French immersion for her kids in a school district she finds progressive and forward thinking. As well, access to sports for the entire family was important. “Anything we wanted was right here,” she said.

The family found friends with similar values. “There is a degree of politeness and sincerity that makes living here special. There is a lot of interesting people here, and that lends diversity to the town.”

As the former Community Liaison Coordinator for Foothills Community Immigrant Services, Minor was able to witness first hand that High River’s western roots were diverging with multicultural influences.

“Within the High River area, we had a list of over 50 spoken languages within the first year,” she says. “I think that is amazing.”

High River’s past continues to blend with the new. The town’s character is evident in more than just interesting buildings, but in the people who call this community home.

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