YOU’VE PICKED UP the Fernie Summer Fix, hoping to learn more about what this well known ski resort/coal mining town has to offer during the warm summer months. Whether you are looking for a long and hard weekend of mountain biking, a casual walk through the magical trails surrounding the town, an epic hike to one of Fernie’s magnificent peaks, a unique dining experience in a beautifully restored historical building, a plethora of shopping options, or an opportunity to become a part of a warm and welcoming community, visit Fernie this summer.

Within moments of your visit you will notice the active residents that make up Fernie’s community. The energy of people traveling on bikes with book or computer bags slung over their shoulders, or perhaps a tote with a yoga mat or running shoes to enable slipping away when the opportunity arises is especially amazing in summer. Unlike powder days in winter and the 20cm rule, biking and hiking trails are available all day long. Going from a desk to pedaling up the side of a mountain to sharing beer and conversation with friends on a patio is a common occurrence during these summer months in Fernie. It comes to no surprise then that summer is voted as residents’ top season each year in the Fernie Fix’s Best of Fernie survey.

While everyone is contemplating and discussing snowfall, visitors, and Bill Bennett, I’m thinking biking, hiking and beers on the patio. Unfortunately I realize that I belong to the group destined for disappointment as it is going to snow. It is going to snow a lot.

No, it’s not Griz Days that affirms this innate theory of mine, nor some extensive method of weather forecasting. I’ve just seen this type of winter in Fernie, and it’s far from the worst. I can recall the rain of 2003, walking down from the World Cup Freestyle event at Fernie Alpine Resort as there were massive streams of water and mud taking over the hill. As a chickling in Fernie, rain was a common occurrence. We’d ski for hours in head to toe plastic bags, not a problem. We would even get up to ski in –25 °C weather. Now? I am cuddled up at home or at the office during torrential downpours or weather below –15 °C.

Recently I attended an economic review of the Elk Valley hosted by the Fernie and Area Building Association. Helmut Pastrick, Chief Economist with Central 1 Credit Union, was the main speaker and as he had just written a review for the Fernie and Area Real Estate Guide I knew what to expect: the big “R” word – recession. He discussed significant periods in the past, the recession in 1982, the slowdown in 1991, and our current recession, which he estimated would begin to turn around by 2010/11. What was interesting to learn was that typically an economic slowdown or recession is driven by one of three factors: a monetary, equity or bank crisis. Of these a banking crisis is the worst, and unfortunately this is what we are beginning to feel the effects of.

As he spoke, those in attendance - developers, real estate agents and tradesmen - were fixated on the slides accompanying the presentation, equipping themselves with the knowledge necessary to endure. Can you imagine telling this audience that the construction industry will be one of the main sectors affected? Helmut provided a very realistic and honest overview of what to expect, the good, the bad and the ugly.