by EVAN MATTHEWS
One of Valemount’s long-time residents celebrated her 90th birthday last weekend.
Louise Maclean says her birthday celebration was exciting, and even overwhelming at times.
“I never dreamed I’d live to a 90th birthday, let me tell you,” she says. “Everybody was so kind”¦ It almost makes you want to break down a little bit.”
Much of Maclean’s family came in from Edmonton to celebrate with her, she says.
Living in Valemount since 1960 ” 57 years ” Maclean says it was a very different Village back then.
“There were no streets. It was just paths,” Maclean says, adding the forest in town used to be thicker with Jack Pines.
Back then the Village wasn’t incorporated and was run regionally, Maclean says, and her husband, Alistair (Sandy) Maclean, along with a small group, decided it would be a good idea to change that.
“There were no streets. It was just paths. The” forest in town used to be thicker with Jack Pines.,” – 90-year-old Louise Maclean, a resident of Valemount for 57 years.
“He decided it wasn’t a good idea for our taxes to be going elsewhere,” says Maclean. “They got busy and incorporated the Village.”
Alistair would ultimately become Valemount’s first Mayor, something Maclean says she’s still very
proud of.
Though Valemount has changed significantly, Maclean says it’s a great place to call home and she doesn’t plan to leave any time soon.
But next year’s party is going to be tough to beat, she says.
“(My birthday) was excellent”¦ It couldn’t have been any better, I don’t think.”
