The Industrial Area

It was a while after moving here that I drove through the industrial area. It's something most people don't think about when heading to Banff. But it takes a lot to keep things running, and having it all in one place isn't a bad idea. It's kind of funny thinking about something like an "industrial area" inside a national park though. It would seem to me that "industry" and "national park" aren't compatible, but in order to manage the millions of visitors every year, you can't have one without the other.

As I was walking through and taking photos, I began to appreciate the effort that goes into keeping Banff running. Without roads, it would be difficult to travel through the park. Without electricity, the town would not exist. And buses make moving large amounts of people more efficient. I could personally do without dog grooming services, but there are many that would find this service essential. But being in the middle of all of this industry, surrounded by mountains, I wonder what really is essential, and what we could do without. I realized that there is no one qualified to come up with that answer.

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