So I stand corrected - when we bought the property on the highway, there was nothing on it - we (ok probably not me as I was about 2) along with my aunt, had to put in everything - including a well for water and all.
So why did we choose this place essentially in the middle of nowhere to start a tourist-driven business? Because of the spectacular hotsprings across the road - Liard River Hotsprings. These are the second largest hotsprings in Canada - despite living across the road most of my life, I didn't know this until just now! The first pool and boardwalk was built by the U.S. Army in 1942 - I am guessing this is the same time that they were building the Alaska Highway - connecting Alaska to the rest of the states (after Pearl Harbor, they feared a Japanese invasion of Alaska). There are two pools - the Alpha pool (in the picture) which has always been the most popular, and the Beta pool, farther on up the boardwalk. Although both pools were always open when I lived there, the Beta pool has been closed due to a snail on the Red Listed species list. Something else I just learnt!!
So why did we choose this place essentially in the middle of nowhere to start a tourist-driven business? Because of the spectacular hotsprings across the road - Liard River Hotsprings. These are the second largest hotsprings in Canada - despite living across the road most of my life, I didn't know this until just now! The first pool and boardwalk was built by the U.S. Army in 1942 - I am guessing this is the same time that they were building the Alaska Highway - connecting Alaska to the rest of the states (after Pearl Harbor, they feared a Japanese invasion of Alaska). There are two pools - the Alpha pool (in the picture) which has always been the most popular, and the Beta pool, farther on up the boardwalk. Although both pools were always open when I lived there, the Beta pool has been closed due to a snail on the Red Listed species list. Something else I just learnt!!
The hot springs were a huge part of my childhood. We were there all the time - summer and winter. I remember getting all bundled up in our snowsuits and heading out to the springs. There was some degree of strategy to getting changed to go in/out of the pool as it was freezing... literally like as cold as -50 some years. When I got older I was so annoyed when they put a steel door handle on the changing room... didn't anyone know flesh sticks to cold metal?!!
We used to roll in the snowbanks and jump back into the hot water - or sit under overhanging tree branches and have someone shake off the snow over our heads. My dad created the -50 below club - he sewed fur loincloths for a group of men who for us, and himself, and they posed out in the snow at the springs....
There were numerous upgrades and improvements to the pool over the years - but the best one was when a tree fell over one end of the pool - the cooler, slightly deeper end. This tree soon became a destination - a place to play volleyball, a climbing challenge, a jumping spot. It's funny how the best improvement came from a free through the course of nature.
We used to roll in the snowbanks and jump back into the hot water - or sit under overhanging tree branches and have someone shake off the snow over our heads. My dad created the -50 below club - he sewed fur loincloths for a group of men who for us, and himself, and they posed out in the snow at the springs....
There were numerous upgrades and improvements to the pool over the years - but the best one was when a tree fell over one end of the pool - the cooler, slightly deeper end. This tree soon became a destination - a place to play volleyball, a climbing challenge, a jumping spot. It's funny how the best improvement came from a free through the course of nature.
RSS Feed