Tuesday, October 14, 2008
fort mac
The percievably wild and inevitable work trip to Fort McMurray, Alberta finally came to fruition. I booked my travel plans with minor trepidation and volumes of genuine curiousity. The flight proved immediately interesting since the full plane contained the passenger compliment of business persons, tradespersons - notably rough-around-the edges - and a handful of women - who seemed to be on a visitor's pass to a correctional institution since they were giddy and reluctant to be there.
I arrived in Fort Mc and drove to town in my smoke-riddled, mid-size car - a sharp contrast to the dirt-lathered pick-ups all around me. Ft. Mc has a good number of the big brands of grocery, department stores and restaurants; it's fully equipped for the desired style of living including suburban style communities with many yet to come. It's also got beautiful forest... well, except for the part where those oil sands are being developed. Maybe you've heard about the tarsands economic development over the past decade or so? The main strip is quite short but traffic congested and poorly coping with the ever increasing transient populus. The presence of law is everywhere, in fact I witnessed a couple of arrests just cruising the drive.
A trip to site proved extremely fascinating. Once I arrived at the security gate and got clearance, I waited for a lift from a company vehicle since no personal vehicles are allowed. Entry provided me with a sharp contrast from town, from the trees lining Highway 63 - it's simply a picture of industry. It's man working the earth - pounding, grinding, driving - no cosmetic frills whatsoever, red muddy dirt, equipment of all shapes and sizes, snow-fenced smoke pits, marker flags, back-up beeps, radio dialogue and human worker bees in protective equipment. To me, the sound that defines the entirety of Ft. McMurray would be gutteral.
I'm not sure how I feel towards Ft. Mc just yet. I remain curious - what effect will this industry have on the long-term culture of AB, of the town, of the way we look at earning the big bucks? Ft. Mc is our country's Deadwood and I just can't help but look through hands while covering my eyes.
I arrived in Fort Mc and drove to town in my smoke-riddled, mid-size car - a sharp contrast to the dirt-lathered pick-ups all around me. Ft. Mc has a good number of the big brands of grocery, department stores and restaurants; it's fully equipped for the desired style of living including suburban style communities with many yet to come. It's also got beautiful forest... well, except for the part where those oil sands are being developed. Maybe you've heard about the tarsands economic development over the past decade or so? The main strip is quite short but traffic congested and poorly coping with the ever increasing transient populus. The presence of law is everywhere, in fact I witnessed a couple of arrests just cruising the drive.
A trip to site proved extremely fascinating. Once I arrived at the security gate and got clearance, I waited for a lift from a company vehicle since no personal vehicles are allowed. Entry provided me with a sharp contrast from town, from the trees lining Highway 63 - it's simply a picture of industry. It's man working the earth - pounding, grinding, driving - no cosmetic frills whatsoever, red muddy dirt, equipment of all shapes and sizes, snow-fenced smoke pits, marker flags, back-up beeps, radio dialogue and human worker bees in protective equipment. To me, the sound that defines the entirety of Ft. McMurray would be gutteral.
I'm not sure how I feel towards Ft. Mc just yet. I remain curious - what effect will this industry have on the long-term culture of AB, of the town, of the way we look at earning the big bucks? Ft. Mc is our country's Deadwood and I just can't help but look through hands while covering my eyes.
